Amherst College
Department of Geology
GEOLOGY 30: MINERALOGY
SYLLABUS
Professor: John T. (Jack) Cheney
Office
302 ESNH, 102C Converse
Texts:
Class:
Lab:
- FALL 2009 E-Mail: jtcheney@amherst.edu
Phone: 542-2311
Mineralogy and Optical Mineralogy by M.D. Dyar, M. E. Gunter & D.Tasa
M-W-F 9:00-10:50aM and Tuesday. 1-1:50pm
Room 303 ESNH
Tuesday, 2:00 -4:00pm+
Room 303 ESNH
Course Objectives:
This course is designed as an introduction to the study of crystals, minerals, and minerals in bunches
(rocks). The specific goals of the course involve familiarizing you with BOTH the common rock
forming minerals and the principles of optical mineralogy. You will learn how to readily identify these
minerals both optically and in hand sample, and we will also examine some of the relationships among
physical properties, chemical composition, crystal structure and geologic occurrence.
Evaluation:
Exams 1-4
Problem Sets & Field Trip
Labs & Quizzes
Lab Final
60%
10%
20%
10%
Note: It is very important that you complete the assigned readings and all assignments on time.
Warning: Getting behind in Mineralogy is detrimental to your physical and mental well-being. In order
to help avoid this terminal disease--late work will not be accepted in this course!!
Required Field Trip: To the Adirondack Mts. of New York. Lv. 6:00 p.m. Fri., Sept. 18, return late
Sun Night, Sept 20. Most expenses paid. Come prepared for foul weather.
IMPORTANT DATES:
Week of September 28:
October 10-12:
Week of October 26:
November 10:
November 19:
November 21 - November 29:
December 18-22
Exam I
Fall VACATION
Exam II
The Big Bopper
Exam III
Thanksgiving VACATION
Exam period--Exam IV
Geology 30 Mineralogy
Syllabus
Date Class #
8-Sep 1
9-Sep 2
11-Sep 3
SUBJECT
14-Sep
15-Sep
16-Sep
18-Sep
4
5
6
7
Combinations of Symmetry Operations and Point Groups
Lattice Types and Space Groups
Symmetry in Crystals: the 32 Crystal Classes
continued
229-232
232-241
241-245
21-Sep
22-Sep
23-Sep
25-Sep
8
9
10
11
Bravais Lattices and Space Groups
The Coordinate System and Miller Indices
Review
PART III. INTRO TO OPTICAL MINERALOGY
245-249
282-292
28-Sep
29-Sep
30-Sep
2-Oct
12
13
14
15
EXAM 1 CLASSES 1-11
Isotropic Substances: Reflection, Refraction, Dispersion, Color
Optical Examination of Isotropic Substances
Oblique Illumination, Dispersion
The Indicatrix
5-Oct
6-Oct
7-Oct
9-Oct
16
17
18
19
Interference and Phase Relationships
Interference Colors and Accessory Plates
Uniaxial Interference Figures (Colors Here)
The Biaxial Indicatrix (access plate here)
418-428
442-446
446-448
454=455
12-Oct
13-Oct 20
14-Oct 21
16-Oct 22
NO CLASS: MID SEMESTER BREAK
Biaxial Interference Figures I (Uniaxial figs here)
Biaxial Interference Figures II (2008 B Indi here)
Continued
448-454
455-459
19-Oct
20-Oct
21-Oct
23-Oct
23
24
25
26
Optical Examination of Biaxial Minerals
continued
Optical Examination of Biaxial Minerals Continued
Minerals in Thin Section
26-Oct
27-Oct
28-Oct
30-Oct
27
28
29
30
EXAM 2 CLASSES 12-26
PART II. CRYSTAL CHEMISTRY: Atoms, Ions and Bonding
continued
Radius Ratios and Coordination Polyhedrons
Model Crystal Structures
Reading: DYAR et al.
INTRODUCTION TO MINERALOGY
Ch. 1
PART I. CRYSTALLOGRAPHY: Patterns and Translation
Ch 4
Repetitive Operators: Rotation and Mirror
226-229
Ch 5,401-407
407-413
482-494
413-418
459-466
466-480
515-525
Ch 3, 122-132
Ch 7
149-168
552-572
Geology 30 Mineralogy Syllabus - Continued
Date Class # SUBJECT
2-Nov 31 continued
3-Nov 32 Silicate crystal structures
4-Nov 33 Mineral Compositionsand solid solution
6-Nov 34 Mineral formulas
Reading: DYAR et al.
9-Nov
10-Nov
11-Nov
13-Nov
35
36
37
38
Mineral formulas-continued
Hand sample mineral quiz-all minerals: THE BIG BOPPER
Graphical Representation of Mineral Compositions
Graphical Representation of Mineral Compositions- cont.
15-Nov
16-Nov
17-Nov
19-Nov
39
40
41
42
Mineral stability
PART IV. SYSTEMATIC MINERALOGY
Introduction to the Silicates
EXAM 3 CLASSES 27-41
103-117
141-144
197-209, Ch9, Ch 10
209-223
535-538
175-180
578-582
THANKSGIVING VACATION SATURDAY, NOV. 21 - SUNDAY, NOV. 29
30-Nov
1-Dec
2-Dec
4-Dec
43
44
45
46
SiO2 Polymorphs
Feldspars
Feldspars-2
Feldspars-3
7-Dec
8-Dec
9-Dec
11-Dec
47
48
49
50
Sheet Silicates
Sheet Silicates -2
Pyroxenes
Pyroxenes-2
593-606
14-Dec
15-Dec
51
52
Amphiboles
Pyriboles a Summary
606-612
FINALS
EXAM IV: ALL MATERIAL CLASSES 31-52
583-503
612-621
GEOLOGY 30: MINERALOGY LABORATORY SCHEDULE
Date Lab #
15-Sep
22-Sep
29-Sep
6-Oct
13-Oct
20-Oct
27-Oct
3-Nov
10-Nov
17-Nov
25-Nov
1-Dec
8-Dec
15-Dec
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
SUBJECT
A: Symmetry in patterns
A: Symmetry in Crystals and Minerals.
A: Opt. Min.: Isotropic substances.
A: Optical Techniques I
A: Optical Techniques II
A: Minerals in Thin Section
A: Minerals in Thin Section -continued
Review
LAB QUIZ- All Minerals-hand samples
Scanning electron microscope
NO LAB: THANKSGIVING BREAK
Scanning electron microscope cont.
Review
LAB EXAM: Optical Mineralogy
Reading DYAR et al.
DVD as appropriate
B: Oxides, Hydroxides
B: Carbonates
B: Mineral Quiz
B: Silicates
B: Silicates continued
B. Minerals in hand sample: rocks
“THE BIG BOPPER”
B. Minerals in Thin Section -cont
B. Minerals in Thin Section -cont