Amherst College
Department of Geology
GEOLOGY 271: MINERALOGY
SYLLABUS
Professor: John T. (Jack) Cheney
Office
302 ESNH, 102C Converse
Texts:
Class:
Lab:
- FALL 2011 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. 30, return
late Sun Night, Oct 2. Most expenses paid. Come prepared for foul weather.
IMPORTANT DATES:
Week of September 26:
October 8-11:
Week of October 26:
November 8:
November 18:
November 19 - November 27:
December 18-22
Exam I
Fall VACATION
Exam II
The Big Bopper
Exam III
Thanksgiving VACATION
Exam period--Exam IV
Geology 271 Mineralogy
Syllabus
Date Class #
6-Sep
1
7-Sep 2
9-Sep 3
SUBJECT
12-Sep
13-Sep
14-Sep
16-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
19-Sep
20-Sep
21-Sep
23-Sep
8
9
10
11
Bravais Lattices and Space Groups
The Coordinate System and Miller Indices
Review
PART II. INTRO TO OPTICAL MINERALOGY
245-249
282-292
26-Sep
27-Sep
28-Sep
30-Sep
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
3-Oct
4-Oct
5-Oct
7-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)
Reading: DYAR et al.
INTRODUCTION TO MINERALOGY
Ch. 1
PART I. CRYSTALLOGRAPHY: Patterns and Translation
Ch 4
Repetitive Operators: Rotation and Mirror
226-229
10-Oct
11-Oct
12-Oct 20
14-Oct 21
NO CLASS: MID SEMESTER BREAK
NO CLASS: MID SEMESTER BREAK
Biaxial Interference Figures I
Continued
17-Oct
18-Oct
19-Oct
21-Oct
22
23
24
25
Biaxial Interference Figures II (2008 B Indi here)
Optical Examination of Biaxial Minerals
continued
Optical Examination of Biaxial Minerals Continued
24-Oct
25-Oct
26-Oct
28-Oct
26
27
28
29
EXAM 2 CLASSES 12-26
Minerals in Thin Section
PART III. CRYSTAL CHEMISTRY: Atoms, Ions and Bonding
continued
Radius Ratios and Coordination Polyhedrons
Ch 5,401-407
407-413
482-494
413-418
418-428
442-446
446-448
454=455
448-454
455-459
459-466
466-480
515-525
Ch 3, 122-132
Ch 7
149-168
Geology 30 Mineralogy Syllabus - Continued
Date Class # SUBJECT
31-Oct 30 continued
1-Nov 31 Model Crystal Structures
2-Nov 32 continued
4-Nov 33 Silicate crystal structures
Reading: DYAR et al.
552-572
103-117
7-Nov
8-Nov
9-Nov
11-Nov
34
35
36
37
Mineral Compositionsand solid solution
Hand sample mineral quiz-all minerals: THE BIG BOPPER
Mineral formulas
Mineral formulas-continued
141-144
14-Nov
15-Nov
16-Nov
18-Nov
38
39
40
41
Graphical Representation of Mineral Compositions
Graphical Representation of Mineral Compositions- cont.
Mineral stability
PART IV. SYSTEMATIC MINERALOGY
209-223
EXAM 3
197-209, Ch9, Ch10
535-538
175-180
CLASSES 30-40
THANKSGIVING VACATION SATURDAY, NOV. 19 - SUNDAY, NOV. 27
28-Nov
29-Nov
30-Nov
2-Dec
42
43
44
45
Introduction to the Silicates
SiO2 Polymorphs
Feldspars
Feldspars-2
5-Dec
6-Dec
7-Dec
9-Dec
12-Dec
46
47
48
49
50
Feldspars-3
Sheet Silicates
Sheet Silicates -2
Pyroxenes
Pyroxenes-2
13-Dec 51
14-Dec 52
FINALS
Amphiboles
Pyriboles a Summary
EXAM IV: ALL MATERIAL CLASSES 31-52
578-582
583-503
593-606
612-621
606-612
GEOLOGY 271: MINERALOGY LABORATORY SCHEDULE
Date Lab #
6-Sep
13-Sep
20-Sep
27-Sep
4-Oct
11-Oct
18-Oct
25-Oct
1-Nov
8-Nov
15-Nov
22-Nov
29-Nov
6-Dec
13-Dec
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
SUBJECT
Native Elements, Sulfides
A: Symmetry in patterns
A: Symmetry in Crystals and Minerals.
A: Opt. Min.: Isotropic substances.
A: Optical Techniques I
NO LAB: THANKSGIVING BREAK
A: Optical Techniques II
A: Minerals in Thin Section
Minerals in hand sample: rocks
LAB QUIZ- All Minerals-hand samples
Minerals in Thin Section -continued
NO LAB: THANKSGIVING BREAK
Scanning electron microscope cont.
Scanning electron microscope
LAB EXAM: Optical Mineralogy
Reading DYAR et al.
DVD as appropriate
B: Oxides, Hydroxides
B: Carbonates
B: Mineral Quiz
B: Silicates
B: Silicates continued
“THE BIG BOPPER”
B. Minerals in Thin Section -cont
B. Minerals in Thin Section -cont