University of Jordan
Principles of Geochemistry
Geology Department
Spring 2010
Prof. Dr. Ghaleb Jarrar
Geol. 0305351
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Contact: jarrargh@ju.edu.jo
Office: Geology Department: 206
Office Hours: Sunday, Tuesday 13:00-14:00
Class Times: Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday 9:00-10:00
Texts: Principles and Applications of Geochemistry, Gunter Faure, 2nd Edition 1998
and Essentials of Geochemistry, 2nd edition, 2008. John V. Walther
The purpose of this course i s to provide students with a fundamental understanding of the
geochemistry of Earth materials. This will provide a basis for a deeper understanding of
geological processes in many different environmental contexts, from the deep interior of the
earth to the human environment at the surface. In the professional geological community and
in advanced academic settings, familiarity with chemical aspects of geological environment
(igneous, sedimentary, metamorphic, and surficial) is fundamental to geologic problem
solving. It simply involves the application of chemical principles to Earth’s materials i.e.
rocks, minerals, fluids, and gases.
Objectives: This course aims to:
1. help the student to develop the ability to solve quantitative problems in geochemistry.
2. help the students to apply chemical principles on earth materials (i.e rocks, minerals, water, gases
etc);
3. help the students to understand the principles of aqueous geochemistry and chemical weathering
and stability of minerals on the Earth surface;
5. help the students to understand the role of redox reactions in a wide range of geochemical processes
6. help the students understand the origin of the different spheres of the earth and their interaction;
6. help the students understand the causes of the observed chemical composition of the terrestrial
materials;
7. introduce the students to the geochemical cycles;
8. introduce the students to the basics of age determination
9 introduce the students to the principles of environmental isotopes
Grading: Geochemistry is a quantitative science; imparting to you the ability and experience
of calculating, or predicting, reactions in a wide range of environments is the major goal of
this class and will be the focus of your grade. Homeworks will be due 1 week after
assignment.
25% first exam
25% second exam
50% Final exam
Topic
lectures Readings
1. Introduction
2. The Universe, solar system and the synthesis and
abundances of chemical elements and chemical differentiation
of the Earth
3. Electronic structure of atoms and the periodic table, chemical
bonds, ionic radii, and crystals, Ionic substitution in crystals
(minerals)
4. Aqueous geochemistry and mineral stability diagrams and
chemistry of natural waters
1
5
5
110-154;172-177
and other sources
5. Thermodynamics
5
6. Soil geochemistry and weathering reactions and clay
minerals as products of chemical weathering
4
155-171
Chapter 3 and 4
Walther
200-208,217-225
Chapter 9
10. Oxidation-reduction reactions
11. Radiogenic isotopes and geochronology
4
3
226-242 or chapter 14
276-299
12. Stable isotopes and isotope fractionation
2
301-308
13. Geochemistry of Igneous rocks
14. Metamorphic geochemistry and Ore Deposits
3
3
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
15. Organic geochemistry
15. Geochemistry of the Atmosphere
2
2
Chapter 5
Chapter 16
*Page numbers in italics are from Faure 1998.
4
2-7*
8-58
Walther 2008
Chapter 2
60-108
Quick review