Mineralogy and costituents of rocks with laboratory 2Module Laboratory
Academic Year 2022/2023 - Teacher: CRISTINA MARIA BELFIOREExpected Learning Outcomes
Macroscopic and microscopic identification of minerals, on the basis of the physical properties. Knowledge of the most common analytical techniques Skill: ability to use optical properties to determine mineral species; to understand the basic functions of the polarizing microscope. Ability to read the manuals with mineral data. Preparation of a report based on thin sections observation.
Course Structure
Taught class and practice exercises.
Required Prerequisites
Basic knowledge of chemistry and physics.
Attendance of Lessons
Mandatory. For working students, see the guidelines of Catania University
If the lectures will be held in mixt mode or in remote, variations could be applied.
Detailed Course Content
OPTICS: Interactions between crystalline solids and polarized light; birifrangence; polarized light microscope (components and operating principles); polaroids; refractive index.
THIN SECTIONS OBSERVATION: Notes about thin sections preparation; parallel polar light observations (color, pleochroism, cleavage traces, relief, shape, dimensions, alterations, inclusions), crossed polar light (interference color, extinction angles types of extinction, zoning, twinning); conoscopic (interference image, optical character, optical sign) observations.
X-RAY DIFFRACTION: notes about X-ray diffraction and its application in mineralogy.
Textbook Information
1. Mineralogia - Klein C. - Zanichelli Editore
2. Mineralogia 1 - (Carobbi) Fondamenti di cristallografia e ottica cristallografica - Mazzi F. e Bernardini G.P. - USES Ed. Scientifiche Firenze -UTET
3. Guide to thin section microscopy - M.M. Raith, P- Raase, J. Reinhardt, 2nd EditionCourse Planning
| Subjects | Text References | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Introduction to the course | 1. Mineralogia - Klein C. - Zanichelli Editore2. Mineralogia 1 - (Carobbi) Fondamenti di cristallografia e ottica cristallografica - Mazzi F. e Bernardini G.P. - USES Ed. Scientifiche Firenze -UTET |
| 2 | Optics, isotropic and anisotropic media, polaroids, monometric, dimetric and trimetric minerals | 1. Mineralogia - Klein C. - Zanichelli Editore2. Mineralogia 1 - (Carobbi) Fondamenti di cristallografia e ottica cristallografica - Mazzi F. e Bernardini G.P. - USES Ed. Scientifiche Firenze -UTET |
| 3 | Optical indicatrices, thin sections preparation | 1. Mineralogia - Klein C. - Zanichelli Editore2. Mineralogia 1 - (Carobbi) Fondamenti di cristallografia e ottica cristallografica - Mazzi F. e Bernardini G.P. - USES Ed. Scientifiche Firenze -UTET |
| 4 | Polarized light microscope | 1. Mineralogia - Klein C. - Zanichelli Editore2. Mineralogia 1 - (Carobbi) Fondamenti di cristallografia e ottica cristallografica - Mazzi F. e Bernardini G.P. - USES Ed. Scientifiche Firenze -UTET3. Guide to thin section microscopy - M.M. Raith, P- Raase, J. Reinhardt, 2nd Edition |
| 5 | Extinction angle, auxiliary lenses, cleavage traces | 1. Mineralogia - Klein C. - Zanichelli Editore2. Mineralogia 1 - (Carobbi) Fondamenti di cristallografia e ottica cristallografica - Mazzi F. e Bernardini G.P. - USES Ed. Scientifiche Firenze -UTET3. Guide to thin section microscopy - M.M. Raith, P- Raase, J. Reinhardt, 2nd Edition |
| 6 | Pleochroism, retardation equation, c-gamma angle | 1. Mineralogia - Klein C. - Zanichelli Editore2. Mineralogia 1 - (Carobbi) Fondamenti di cristallografia e ottica cristallografica - Mazzi F. e Bernardini G.P. - USES Ed. Scientifiche Firenze -UTET3. Guide to thin section microscopy - M.M. Raith, P- Raase, J. Reinhardt, 2nd Edition |
| 7 | Interference colors and birifrangence; Michel Levy interference color chart | 1. Mineralogia - Klein C. - Zanichelli Editore2. Mineralogia 1 - (Carobbi) Fondamenti di cristallografia e ottica cristallografica - Mazzi F. e Bernardini G.P. - USES Ed. Scientifiche Firenze -UTET3. Guide to thin section microscopy - M.M. Raith, P- Raase, J. Reinhardt, 2nd Edition |
| 8 | Thin section identification of the main minerals (quartz, garnets, feldspars, plagioclases, amphibole, pyroxene, calcite, olivine, biotite, muscovite, chlorite) | 1. Mineralogia - Klein C. - Zanichelli Editore2. Mineralogia 1 - (Carobbi) Fondamenti di cristallografia e ottica cristallografica - Mazzi F. e Bernardini G.P. - USES Ed. Scientifiche Firenze -UTET3. Guide to thin section microscopy - M.M. Raith, P- Raase, J. Reinhardt, 2nd Edition |
| 9 | Optical sign of uniaxial and biaxial minerals | 1. Mineralogia - Klein C. - Zanichelli Editore2. Mineralogia 1 - (Carobbi) Fondamenti di cristallografia e ottica cristallografica - Mazzi F. e Bernardini G.P. - USES Ed. Scientifiche Firenze -UTET3. Guide to thin section microscopy - M.M. Raith, P- Raase, J. Reinhardt, 2nd Edition |
| 10 | X-ray diffraction and its application in mineralogy | 1. Mineralogia - Klein C. - Zanichelli Editore2. Mineralogia 1 - (Carobbi) Fondamenti di cristallografia e ottica cristallografica - Mazzi F. e Bernardini G.P. - USES Ed. Scientifiche Firenze -UTET3. |
Learning Assessment
Learning Assessment Procedures
Oral and practice examination about microscopic mineral identification.