Mineralogy

Code:

EMG0009

Acronym:

MIN

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Earth Sciences

Instance: 2018/2019 - 2S

Active?	Yes
Responsible unit:	Mining Engineering Department
Course/CS Responsible:	Bachelor in Mining and Geo-Environmental Engineering

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
LCEEMG	19	Plano de estudos oficial a partir de 2008/09	1	-	6	56	162

Teaching language

Portuguese

Objectives

The main learning objectives are the following:

1. concepts of “mineral” and “crystalline structure of matter”;

2. main criteria of mineral systematics and classification;

3. identification of main mineral species occurring in the earth’s crust, by summary observations of hand specimens;

4. basics of optical mineralogy for polarizing microscopy of rock and mineral thin sections;

5. determine the main optical properties of transparent minerals and identification of rock-forming minerals in the polarizing microscope (transmitted light).

6. recognition of the occurrence of mineralogical transformations; simple thermodynamic models for the explanation of spontaneous mineralogical transformations.

Learning outcomes and competences

Skills to be acquired: identification of main mineral species occurring in the earth’s crust, by summary observations of hand specimens; determine the main optical properties of transparent minerals and identification of rock-forming minerals in the polarizing microscope (transmitted light).

Working method

Presencial

Program

Part 1

1.1. Concept of mineral, commonest minerals in the earth’s crust: rock-forming minerals and ores. Mineral systematics and classification;

1.2 Physical properties of matter

1.3. Concept of crystalline structure and unit cell;

1.4 Elements and operators of symmetry

1.5. Basics of crystallography: identification of different crystal systems.

Part 2

2.1. Brief description of the commonest minerals for each group of Dana’s mineralogical classification.

2.2 Identification of minerals in hand specimen using physical properties of simple determination

Part 3

3.1 Fundamentals of optical mineralogy.

3.2 Transmission of light in optically anisotropic transparent solids: double refraction and polarization; birefringence of a mineral.

3.3 Microscopic study of transparent minerals in polarized light

Part 4

4. Mineralogical transformations

Practical Classes:
identification of minerals in hand specimen using physical properties of simple determination;
microscopic study of transparent minerals in polarized light.

 

Mandatory literature

J. D. Dana, Cornelis Klein, Cornelius S. Hurlbut, Jr.; Manual of mineralogy. ISBN: 0-471-82182-9
Cornelis Klein ; with continued contribution of Cornelius S. Hurlbut, Jr.; Manual of mineral science. ISBN: 0-471-25177-1
Paul F. Kerr; Optical Mineralogy. ISBN: 0-07-034218-0
W. S. Mackenzie and C. Guilford; Atlas of rock-forming minerals in thin section. ISBN: 0-582-45591-X
Frederico Sodré Borges; Elementos de cristalografia. ISBN: 972-31-0117-3

Complementary Bibliography

Putnis, Andrew; Introduction to mineral sciences. ISBN: 0-521-42947-1

Teaching methods and learning activities

In addition to theoretical classes, the curricular unit of mineralogy also works trying to develop students’ abilities of observation to the identification of the common rock forming minerals. For this reason, both theoretical and practical classes take place in rooms where exists a wide of samples of rock, minerals and thin sections.

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation without final exam

Assessment Components

Designation	Weight (%)
Teste	65,00
Trabalho escrito	15,00
Trabalho laboratorial	20,00
Total:	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

Designation	Time (hours)
Elaboração de relatório/dissertação/tese	30,00
Estudo autónomo	62,00
Frequência das aulas	42,00
Trabalho laboratorial	28,00
Total:	162,00

Eligibility for exams

To obtain attendance in the mineralogy course is necessary:
- Do not exceed the maximum limit of classes missed (25% of the total theoretical and practical classes);
- deliver the reports of laboratory and microscopic activities.
- classification in the distributed evaluation equal to or greater than 6.5 values.

The deadline for submission practical work reports is two weeks after its end in the classroom.

The monograph must be submitted until the deadline agreed at the beginning of classes.

Calculation formula of final grade

The student’s assessment will be determined by:
1) two theoretical mini-tests;
2) Monograph about themes integrated in the course syllabus;
3) Reports of laboratory and microscopic activities.

The calculation of the final classification will be obtained by considering:
20% of the practical reports classification,
15% of the monographic work classification;
65% of the average classification of the mini-tests.

The deadline for submission practical work reports is two weeks after its end in the classroom.

The monograph must be submitted until the deadline agreed at the beginning of classes.

Special assessment (TE, DA, ...)

Students in special regime are not required to submit reports of practical work.
The delivery of the monograph is mandatory.
In these cases, the calculation of the final grade will be done through:

20% - monograph
80% - final exam

Classification improvement

Improvement of classification will be made through  a final exam (resource season)