Elements of Mineralogy and Petrography

Course Program:
Descriptive Mineralogy and Physical Properties of Minerals
Morphology, habit, luster, hardness, cleavage: Describing the external characteristics and physical properties of minerals.
Systematic Mineralogy: Study of native elements, sulfides, oxides, hydroxides, carbonates, sulfates, borates, phosphates, and silicates.
Essential and accessory minerals in igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks.
Minerals used in metal extraction and an overview of major extraction techniques.
Gemstones and pigments: Minerals used in jewelry and as coloring agents.
Industrial minerals: Introduction to the production of mortars, cements, and ceramics.
Optical Properties of Minerals

Mineralogy microscope: Introduction to the use of a microscope in mineralogy.
Identification of major rock-forming minerals using transmitted light microscopy.
Tectonics and Petrogenesis

Plate tectonics and petrogenetic processes: The rock cycle.
Introduction to geochemical classification of elements.
Chemical composition of rocks: Major elements, classification and discrimination diagrams, trace elements.
Geological relationships of igneous rocks on the Earth's surface: Volcanism and plutonism.
Petrogenetic processes and binary phase diagrams.
Igneous Rocks

Identification of igneous rock processes based on macroscopic characteristics.
Essential minerals in igneous rocks and the Streckeisen classification.
Metamorphic Rocks

Metamorphism and deformation: Types and subdivisions of metamorphism, metamorphic facies.
Classification criteria and major minerals in metamorphic rocks.
Ornamental Stones and Ancient Marbles

Commercial classification and properties of ornamental stones.
Study of ancient marbles.
Practical Exercises

Hands-on exercises using macroscopic samples and transmitted light microscopy to recognize and describe major minerals, igneous rocks, and metamorphic rocks, which will be the focus of the examination.