Syllabus

Mineralogy

Instructor: Lori Bettison-Varga

The Mineral Gallery

Lecture Syllabus

Date

Topic

Readings & Assignments

Week 1

	Section I: Crystallography
27 Aug.	Review; Mineral Properties	Ch. 6
29 Aug	Introduction to crystallography; symmetry elements	p. 12-16
31 Aug.	Combination of symmetry; crystal classes (point groups); crystal systems	" "

**Week 2**
3 Sept.	Coordinate systems; miller indices; zones	p. 19-24
5 Sept.	Crystallographic axes; crystal systems	" "
7 Sept.	Apparent vs. true symmetry; crystal forms	p. 24-34

**Week 3**
10 Sept.	Translations; lattices; space lattices; unit cell	Ch.2 to p. 12
12 Sept.	lattices; hybrid operations	" "
14 Sept.	hybrid operations;space groups	p. 17-19

**Week 4**
	Section 11: Crystal chemistry
17 Sept.	Crystal Chemistry: atoms, periodic table	Ch. 3
19 Sept.	Crystal Chemistry: bonds, color, opacity, magnetism	" "
21 Sept.	Arsenic poisoning and Bangledesh	" "

**Week 5**
24 Sept.	Exam I
	Section III: Optical Mineralogy
26 Sept.	Intro to Optics: minerals and light; reflection/refraction	Ch. 7 to p. 121
28 Sept.	refractive index, Snell's Law, dispersion, Becke lines	p. 152-155 one paragraph about research topic due

**Week 6**
1 Oct.	Fall Break: No Class!!!
3 Oct.	waves, isotropic vs. anisotropic media, double refraction	p. 121-129
5 Oct.	uniaxial indicatrix	" "

**Week 7**
8 Oct.	Optical retardation and interference colors, uniaxial figures	p. 130-133
10 Oct.	uniaxial figures	p. 137-143
12 Oct.	uniaxial figures	p. 133-137 annotated bibliography for research paper due for bonus points

**Week 8**
15 Oct.	Biaxial crystals, biaxial indicatrix, 2V, optic sign	p. 143-151; annotated biliography due
17 Oct.	biaxial crystals continued	" " CALCITE RHOMB DUE
19 Oct.	biaxial crystals continued	" "

**Week 9**
22 Oct.	pleochroism, extinction angles, review
24 Oct.	Review
26 Oct.	no class (structure field trip); appts with me regarding your research paper

**Week 10**
29 Oct.	Exam II
	Section IV: Systematic Mineralogy
31 Oct.	Silicates	Ch. 11 to p. 186
2 Nov.	Igneous rocks and silicate minerals; Bowen's Reaction Series

**Week 11**
5 Nov.	No Class!!! Geological Society of America mtg.
7 Nov.	No Class!!! Geological Society of America mtg.
9 Nov.	SiO2 polymorphs; phase transformations	p. 66-69; 201-202 outline of research paper due

**Week 12**
12 Nov.	Feldspars: structure, coupled substitution, solid solution	p. 69-73; 208-228
14 Nov.	Feldspars continued, pyroxenes
16 Nov.	pyroxenes and amphiboles	Chapter 14.

**Week 13**
19 Nov.	amphiboles	optional: drafts of research paper accepted
21 Nov.	No Class!!! Thanksgiving Break
23 Nov.	No Class!!! Thanksgiving Break

**Week 14**
26 Nov.	Sheet silicates	Ch. 13
28 Nov.	Carbonate Minerals	p. 326-340 research paper due
30 Nov.	Metamorphism and metamorphic minerals

**Week 15**
3 Dec.	student presentations
5 Dec.	student presentations
7 Dec.	Review
11 or 14 December	FINAL EXAM

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