Mineralogy
A.Y. 2024/2025
Learning objectives
Knowledge and understanding: The student must be able to describe and understand the chemical and crystalline nature of minerals through symmetry, crystallochemistry and the main analytical techniques (X-ray diffraction, X-ray fluorescence and crystallographic optics).
Applied knowledge and understanding: the course provides the student the ability to classify minerals based on criteria including the crystalline and chemical nature of minerals. During the course systematic mineralogy comprising a modest number of mineral species is introduced classifying the minerals on the basis of chemical composition, symmetry and structural types, framing the mineral species and groups within the geological contexts of occurrence. The aim is to highlight the impact of mineralogical knowledge on other disciplines of Earth Sciences.
Applied knowledge and understanding: the course provides the student the ability to classify minerals based on criteria including the crystalline and chemical nature of minerals. During the course systematic mineralogy comprising a modest number of mineral species is introduced classifying the minerals on the basis of chemical composition, symmetry and structural types, framing the mineral species and groups within the geological contexts of occurrence. The aim is to highlight the impact of mineralogical knowledge on other disciplines of Earth Sciences.
Expected learning outcomes
Making judgements: The course provides the ability to identify and classify minerals and processes of mineral transformation. Crystal-chemical concepts are provided in order to be able to critically evaluate the stability of the most common solid solutions in rock forming minerals and polymorphic processes are explained. Both types of information are fundamental in the interpretation of petrogenetic and geodynamic processes.
Communication skills: Ability to illustrate problems and phenomena related to mineralogy and crystal chemistry as well as international mineral classification criteria, using appropriate jargon, symbolism, and English lexicon.
Learning skills: Ability to use the acquired basic understanding of mineralogy and to extend it to complete information in other Earth Sciences areas.
Communication skills: Ability to illustrate problems and phenomena related to mineralogy and crystal chemistry as well as international mineral classification criteria, using appropriate jargon, symbolism, and English lexicon.
Learning skills: Ability to use the acquired basic understanding of mineralogy and to extend it to complete information in other Earth Sciences areas.
Lesson period: First semester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course can be attended as a single course.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
First semester
Course syllabus
A. Introduction
Summaries of concepts from the 1st year course "Laboratory of Minerals and Rocks": definition of mineral, chemical composition of the Earth crust and planets, ionic radii and coordination polyhedra. Chemical formula. Crystalline matter. Relationship with physical properties. Mineral stability: phase rule. Some important minerals.
B. Symmetry
Periodicity. Lattice. Some historical notes. Fundamental crystallography laws. Haüy's law. Miller Indices. Crystalline systems. Two-dimensional lattices. Three-dimensional lattices. Bravais Patterns.
C. Crystal chemistry
Atom packing. Pauling's Rules. Isomorphism. Exsolution/ unmixing. Polymorphism. Polymorphic transformations. Polytypism. Paramorphism. Metamictization. Pseudomorphism. Polysomatism.
D. Systematic mineralogy
Mineral classification. Concept of species and mineral group. IMA. Mineral and mineral structures databases. Classification rules. Mineral Hierarchies. Overview, composition, structure and physical characteristics of the most common minerals of the following classes: Silicates (nesosilicates, sorosilicates, cyclosilicates, inosilicates, fillosilicates, tectosilicates); native elements; oxides and hydroxides; sulphides and sulphosalts; carbonates; borates; sulphates; phosphates; organic compounds. Short overview of mineral genesis processes.
Exercises. Mineral characterization techniques
E.1. Symmetry. Symmetry operations. Stereographic projection. Symmetry classes and stereographic representation of symmetry operators and classes. Crystal shapes. Types of crystalline forms. Twinning. Types of twinning.
E.2. Diffraction. Reciprocal lattice. Generation of X-rays. The Bragg equation. The Ewald Sphere. Powder diffraction. Manually interpreting a diffractogram.
E.3. X-ray fluorescence. Mineral formulas.
E.4. Optical mineralogy. Nature of light. Absorption. Reflection and refraction. Snell's Law. Birefringence. Fresnel's formula. Optical Indicatrices and Crystal Systems. Description of polarized-light microscope. Mineral observations: parallel light (relief, Becke line, retardation and interference colors) and conoscopy (interference figures).
Summaries of concepts from the 1st year course "Laboratory of Minerals and Rocks": definition of mineral, chemical composition of the Earth crust and planets, ionic radii and coordination polyhedra. Chemical formula. Crystalline matter. Relationship with physical properties. Mineral stability: phase rule. Some important minerals.
B. Symmetry
Periodicity. Lattice. Some historical notes. Fundamental crystallography laws. Haüy's law. Miller Indices. Crystalline systems. Two-dimensional lattices. Three-dimensional lattices. Bravais Patterns.
C. Crystal chemistry
Atom packing. Pauling's Rules. Isomorphism. Exsolution/ unmixing. Polymorphism. Polymorphic transformations. Polytypism. Paramorphism. Metamictization. Pseudomorphism. Polysomatism.
D. Systematic mineralogy
Mineral classification. Concept of species and mineral group. IMA. Mineral and mineral structures databases. Classification rules. Mineral Hierarchies. Overview, composition, structure and physical characteristics of the most common minerals of the following classes: Silicates (nesosilicates, sorosilicates, cyclosilicates, inosilicates, fillosilicates, tectosilicates); native elements; oxides and hydroxides; sulphides and sulphosalts; carbonates; borates; sulphates; phosphates; organic compounds. Short overview of mineral genesis processes.
Exercises. Mineral characterization techniques
E.1. Symmetry. Symmetry operations. Stereographic projection. Symmetry classes and stereographic representation of symmetry operators and classes. Crystal shapes. Types of crystalline forms. Twinning. Types of twinning.
E.2. Diffraction. Reciprocal lattice. Generation of X-rays. The Bragg equation. The Ewald Sphere. Powder diffraction. Manually interpreting a diffractogram.
E.3. X-ray fluorescence. Mineral formulas.
E.4. Optical mineralogy. Nature of light. Absorption. Reflection and refraction. Snell's Law. Birefringence. Fresnel's formula. Optical Indicatrices and Crystal Systems. Description of polarized-light microscope. Mineral observations: parallel light (relief, Becke line, retardation and interference colors) and conoscopy (interference figures).
Prerequisites for admission
The Mineralogy course requires knowledge of the topics covered in the courses of Mathematics I (in particular trigonometry, geometry and linear algebra), Chemistry (periodic table and ionisation of the elements, chemical formulation) and and Physics II (Electromagnetic waves and optics).
Teaching methods
Lectures and exercises (morphological crystallography, X-ray diffraction, X-ray fluorescence and mineralogical optics with the use of the polarized light microscope)
[Webpage] (myARIEL):
https://myariel.unimi.it/course/view.php?id=3104
attendance strongly recommended
[Webpage] (myARIEL):
https://myariel.unimi.it/course/view.php?id=3104
attendance strongly recommended
Teaching Resources
The supports for the ppt slides used during the lessons can be downloaded from the ARIEL website.
The following texts are of support:
Klein, K. Mineralogia. Zanichelli
Klein, K. & Philpotts, A.R. Mineralogia e Petrografia. Zanichelli
The following texts are of support:
Klein, K. Mineralogia. Zanichelli
Klein, K. & Philpotts, A.R. Mineralogia e Petrografia. Zanichelli
Assessment methods and Criteria
Examinations to verify knowledge consists of a compulsory written test and an optional oral test (discussion):
The evaluation is out of thirty.
The written test aims to ascertain the knowledge acquired during the theoretical lessons and laboratory exercises through (a) solving exercises, with contents and difficulty degree similar to those faced in the exercises, (b) answering questions YES/NO (c) description of concepts. For the written test the student must bring a scientific calculator.
The oral discussion focuses on all the topics covered in the course.
The results of the written test are communicated on the same day of the test and it is possible to view the corrections of the test. Passing the written test is valid for subsequent appeals within the academic year.
The oral exam is accessed only with a score of 24/30 in written test.
The evaluation is out of thirty.
The written test aims to ascertain the knowledge acquired during the theoretical lessons and laboratory exercises through (a) solving exercises, with contents and difficulty degree similar to those faced in the exercises, (b) answering questions YES/NO (c) description of concepts. For the written test the student must bring a scientific calculator.
The oral discussion focuses on all the topics covered in the course.
The results of the written test are communicated on the same day of the test and it is possible to view the corrections of the test. Passing the written test is valid for subsequent appeals within the academic year.
The oral exam is accessed only with a score of 24/30 in written test.
GEO/06 - MINERALOGY - University credits: 6
Practicals: 24 hours
Lessons: 32 hours
Lessons: 32 hours
Professor:
Camara Artigas Fernando
Shifts:
Professor:
Camara Artigas Fernando
Turno I
Professor:
Camara Artigas FernandoTurno II
Professor:
Camara Artigas FernandoTurno Unico
Professor:
Camara Artigas FernandoEducational website(s)
Professor(s)
Reception:
9:00 - 10:00 AM
23 Botticelli st., first floor