MODERN METHODS OF MINERAL IDENTIFICATION
15-GEOL-303
Spring Quarter/2003. Tuesdays and Thursdays 2:00-4:00 PM. Geology-Physics
Bldg. Room 527
Instructor: Attila Kilinc
Department of Geology
Geology-Physics Bldg. Room 500
Phone : 513- 556-3732
E-mail: Attila.Kilinc@uc.edu
Required Textbook: "INTRODUCTION TO
OPTICAL MINERALOGY (2nd Ed)". William Ness, 1991, Oxford University
Press
The objective of this course is to teach identification of rock
forming minerals by optical and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques.
Principles of optical mineralogy and XRD will be covered in
lecture-lab sessions. Students will learn to identify minerals and
rock textures by working on mineral thin sections specially prepared
for this course. Instructor, using a microscope-TV system and the
same thin sections given to students, will demonstrate and discuss
characteristic features of minerals. Students' learning outcome will
be assessed by four short quizzes and a number of mineral
identification reports written by the students.
Final grade will be determined as follows: quizzes 30%; mineral
identification reports 40%; Final exam 30%.
Syllabus:
MODERN METHODS OF MINERAL IDENTIFICATION
Properties
of light, polarizing microscope
and refractometry
April 1 (Tu).
Survey of students' goals in this course.
Introduction to the course. Explanation of lecture-lab sessions,
quizzes, mineral identification reports, the final exam and grading
policy. Microscope assignments. Discussion of parts of polarizing
microscope and calibration of ocular micrometer scale.
April 3 (Th).
Nature of light (Ch 1).
Polarized light: constructive and destructive interference; reflection
and refraction
of light; Snell's law
April 8 (Tu).
Refractometry (Ch 3).
Relief : estimation of positive and negative relief by the Becke line
method. Isotropic minerals (Ch 4).
Indicatrix; estimation of refractive index of
minerals in thin sections; identification of cleavage(s) in thin
sections.
Isotropic Minerals
April 10 (Th).
10 minute quiz.
Optics of isotropic minerals (Ch 5). Interference phenomenon; retardation;
determination of birefringence and thickness of thin sections; determination
of
vibration directions of light in minerals; extinction; pleochroism
Uniaxial Minerals
April 15 (Tu).
Introduction to uniaxial minerals (Ch 6).
Optic sign in uniaxial minerals; uniaxial indicatrix; determination of
vibration directions of light in uniaxial minerals using accessory
plates; optic axis and flash interference figures; determination of
optic sign
April 17 (Th).
10 minute quiz.
Optics of uniaxial minerals
continued (Ch 6).
Uniaxial indicatrix; indicatrix-cleavage
relationships in tetragonal and hexagonal minerals; birefringence and
interference colors of uniaxial minerals
April 22 (Tu).
Optic orientation of uniaxial minerals.
Systematic identification of uniaxial minerals in mineral thin
sections
Biaxial Minerals
April 24 (Th).
10 minute quiz.
Introduction to biaxial minerals (CH 7).
Optics of biaxial minerals; construction and use of the
indicatrix for biaxial minerals; determination of vibration
directions of light in biaxial minerals; crystallographic orientation
of indicatrix axes: orthorhombic, monoclinic, and triclinic minerals.
April 29 (Tu).
Optics of biaxial minerals continued (Ch 7).
Vibration directions of light in biaxial minerals and formation of
isogyres; BXa, BXo, optic normal and optic axis interference figures;
optic orientation of biaxial minerals; determination of optic sign of
biaxial minerals; biaxial minerals in thin sections
May 1 (Th).
Optics of biaxial minerals continued (Ch 7).
Estimation of 2V; systematic identification of biaxial minerals in
mineral thin sections.
May 6 (Tu).
10 minute quiz.
Systematic identification of biaxial minerals in mineral thin section
Identification of minerals in thin sections
of igneous rocks; Introduction to common textures in igneous
rocks
May 8 (Th).
Identification of rock forming minerals and textures
in thin sections of igneous rocks
May 13 (Tu).
Identification of rock forming minerals and textures
in thin sections of igneous rocks
May 15 (Th).
Identification of rock forming minerals and
textures in thin sections of igneous rocks
May 20 (Tu).
Identification of rock forming minerals and textures
in thin sections of igneous rocks
Identification of minerals by X-ray diffraction technique
May 22 (Th). Mineral identification by x-ray diffraction
May 27 (Tu). Mineral identification by x-ray diffraction
May 29 (Th). Mineral identification by x-ray diffraction
June 3 (Tu). Mineral identification by x-ray diffraction
June 5 (Th). Final Exam
Last revised: March 14, 2003
|
