Return to Home Page

Instructor: Dr. Barb Dutrow,
Room 203, Howe-Russell Building  (Old Geology)
Office hours: 3:00 - 4:00 T- Th  or by appointment
Home Page: http://geol.lsu.edu/dutrow
E-mail: dutrow@lsu.edu

TAs:     Corine Armstrong                                                                   
             201 Howe-Russell Building (Old Geology Building)                       
             Hours:   Wed. 10-noon, or by appointment
             E-mail: carmst3@lsu.edu         

            Stephanie Welch                                                 
            226 Howe-Russell Building (Old Geology Building)                       
             Hours:   Mon. 3:30 - 5:30 pm or by appointment
             E-mail:  swelch3@lsu.edu                    

Text:         Manual of Mineral Sciences, 23 Edition  (2007),  Klein and Dutrow

                Reading assignments should be completed prior to class
 
Grades: Grades will be based on a combination of lecture and laboratory tests, laboratory assignments, homework, unannounced quizzes, attendance and participation in class. There will be 3 hour exams and a  comprehensive final exam for lecture and lab (separately). Exam questions will be based on material from lectures as well as from the book.  Exams are weighted as follows:

Letter grades will be assigned from the final numerical score based on the performance relative to the rest of the class.

Make up exams: Lecture exams will be 5 essay questions; Lab exams will be 10 questions.
No makeup quizzes will be given.
Example lecture tests are posted on the web; self-assessment questions are posted for EACH lecture. If you complain that you don't know what to study, then you have not looked at these. These tests and questions provide a study guide.

You are required to attend class (lecture and lab). You are responsible for all material covered in class. Much of this material is not from our book and it will be difficult to do well in class without attending. Roll call may be taken.

Labs are due at the due date as given in class. For each day late, 5 points will be deducted from your score until the labs are returned. After that date, a zero is assigned. If you are going to miss lab, you must notify us prior to class time.

This class requires that you learn to speak the language of the discipline, therefore you must memorize a certain amount of fundamental material, comprehend this material to understand conceptual information,  learn to visualize information in 3D, and combine this information to understand how minerals work.

 The Earth is a geological system, and mineralogy serves as a foundation for its study. Minerals are the fundamental building blocks of the Earth. This class provides you with the basis on which you will build the remaining of your geologic careers. Mineralogy is not only essential to geologists, but to all because minerals are also an integral portion of our everyday natural environment. They compose the Earth and form the Earth's substrate in which our food grows, they soften our water, they crack hydrocarbons, they cleanse hazardous wastes and they provide us with materials that bring our life above subsistence living. Consequently, it is imperative that they be understood and appreciated, even to laypersons. This is even more important now as we confront the many worldwide  environmental crises e.g. where to store hazardous wastes - in geologic respositories, how wastes interact with rocks and minerals and where to locate aquifers for vanishing groundwater resources. Each of us can make a difference when asked to vote on these issues and when discussing these topic with neighbors. In addition, minerals are simply beautiful to observe!

I have worked hard to provide you with an excellent course that will prepare you for any geologic endeavor.  I put considerable effort into the course and I expect you to also. Most of all, I love minerals and mineralogy and I hope you will too.

Here are some helpful hints to make Mineralogy easier and more fun!

1. Review and Know Introductory Material in Physical Geology and Chemistry
   Class requires that you have a full knowledge of the rocks and minerals section of your Introductory Geology text. Reread that material. You must also have a working knowledge of introductory Chemistry, especially  elements and the periodic table.
   Please re-read this portion of your Physical Geology Book and review this material from Chemistry.
   


2. Attend class
   You are required to attend class and will do much better if you do. Lecture material is derived from sources in addition to the book, and the book is often difficult to understand. Please inform me if you are going to be absent from class and get the notes from a friend.
   


3. Lab
   You are required to attend lab and to remain in lab the entire 1.5 hrs each session. During this time, there is always someone available to help and answer questions! Lab assignments reinforce lecture material and aid in comprehension. They should be thoroughly understood.
   


4. Syllabus - Read what is listed.
   The syllabus is available on the web. Refer to it for any updates to material and follow the reading assignments.
   


5. Tests and Self-assessment questions
   Old tests are posted on the website so that all of you have access to previous tests. Working through these tests is a terrific study guide and will help you tremendously in the course. They help you know how I test and what to study. You will do well on tests if you study the old material. In addition, after each lecture self-assessment questions are posted to reinforce important concepts.
   


6. TA's and Professor
   If you have questions, take advantage of the T.A.s and the Professor. Feel free to make an appointment to see the professor, the TA or come during office hours.
   


7. Enjoy the material!
   

• Understand the importance of minerals to society and to the study of the Earth
• Know the properties that allow a material to be classified as a mineral
• Be able to identify diagnostic physical properties of a mineral and, thus, several minerals
• Understand the linkage between macroscopic properties and a mineral's internal structure
• Understand how we use minerals to decipher Earth's (and other planet's ) geologic history and evolution.

Enjoy !!!!!
 

Mineralogy - An Earth System's Approach

Tentative Lecture and Exam Schedule (subject to Hurricane Season)

Date

Topic You will need a 3-ring binder for lecture handouts. Bring to every lecture and lab.

Reading Chapter (Ch)  page numbers

Lab  Assignments due one week later unless otherwise noted. You must maintain a LABORATORY NOTEBOOK, 3-ring binder with all lab materials

August

28	Introduction - Mineralogy (Review / reread your Introductory Text material for mineralogy); Minerals - What they are; as integral to the study of the Earth, as important to other fields, the history of mineralogy. Minerals in our lives (Chapter 1:1-17) Self-assessment Questions.	Ch 1 1-17	Lab 1. What's in a name? or In the Scheme of Things! (How would you classify minerals?) Check out weekly Earth happenings on Earthweek and Geology in the News. Learn more about careers in geology and geology at LSU. Learn more about; minerals and gems
30	Physical Properties of Minerals Self-assessment Questions Homework 2: Mineralogy on the WWW	Ch 2 19-36	Lab 2: Physical Properties Review Rock classification; (Review Intro Geol material)

September
 

4	Bonding in Crystals You must understand electronic structure of atoms and ions; understand the periodic table Learn more about the periodic table, here is a periodic table from LANL Review Questions	Ch 3 53-65 Review: Ch 3 p. 37 - 53	Lab 3: Bonding
6	Crystal Coordination  (Paulings Rules - all 5) Crystal Structures; Structural variations Examples of common crystal structures Compositional variability in minerals Self-assessment questions	Ch 4  67-85 Ch 5 96-99	Lab 4: Crystal Coordination  (Exercise. 17+) Common Structures Compositional variability
11	Crystallographic Concepts: Crystal Symmetry, External form Self-assessment questions	Ch 6 109-121 121-128 optional	Lab 5: 2D Symmetry (Exercise 1), 3D symmetry of blocks
13	Crystal Axes and Systems (review Intro Geology material also)   CD Rom - Module I:  Self-assessment Questions	Ch 6 129-131	Lab 6: Determination of 3D symmetry, crystal systems; (linkage between rotation axes and crystallographic axes) H-M symbols (most symmetric crystal classes)  see pg. 120
18	Crystal Symmetry: 1D, 2D Internal Structure, order and symmetry   Self-assessment Questions	Ch 7 143-156	Lab 7: 3D Symmetry; HM symbols (all crystal classes )
20	Crystal Growth   Self-assessment Questions	Ch 7 156-168	Lab 8: Translational Symmetry Determining Lattice types and  Space Groups ( Exercise 10 )  Escher patterns - check out this site for patterns  and space group
25	Physical Properties of Minerals: Growth, Color  You will need  a mastery of material on pgs. 38-46; know s,p,d orbitals Visit CalTech's explanations: Color in Minerals Self-assessment questions	Ch 10 218- 225 Color: 234-240	Lab 9: Causes of Mineral Color   View more Spectra of Color in Minerals View Gems
27	LECTURE EXAM  I (to practice - see previous year's exam) Crystallography, (Review Important Concepts for Test)	Lab: Ch 13	Lab 10: Optical Mineralogy  Introduction to minerals under the microscope

 October

2	Systematic Mineralogy Review of Earth's Structure  Meteorites as clues Mineralogy of the Earth's Core   Native Elements: S, Fe, Ni Self-Assessement Questions	Ch 5 90-96 Ch 15 331-337 minerals: 342-350	LAB EXAM I: Crystallography
4	Mineralogy via the  Earth's Mantle  Structures of Silicate Minerals Note: Ch 18 contains silicate structures Ch 19 mineral descriptions - refer to both as needed	Ch 18 434-438 remainder of chpt for details overview p.88-89 formulae p. 99-104	Lab 11. Calculation of mineral formulae   (Exercise  19) Read p. 99-104 before Lab Excel calculation review: Compositional variation; Solid solutions
		Chapter 22 Determinative Tables	Use chapter 22 for remainder of labs for Mineral Identification
9	Upper Mantle Mineralogy and Structures:  Olivine, Inosilicates - pyroxene Phase diagrams (Ch. 11:245-256) Self-Assessement Questions	Ol 439 483-487 pyx 446-450 505-510 graphs 104-108	Lab 12: ID: Native Elements, Mantle Minerals Identify minerals, determine properties, Look down the microscope
11	<>FAll HOLIDAY - No Class, Have fun looking at minerals!		FAll HOLIDAY - No Class
16	Upper Mantle Mineralogy and Structures: Inosilicates - Amphiboles      Exsolution in minerals Self-Assessement Questions	Amp 452-456 514-519 exsoln 276-281	Lab 12(cont): ID: Native Elements, Mantle Minerals answer mineral specific questions - phase diagrams Learn more about planetary exploration, Mercury, Venus, Earth, Moon, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune or Pluto. Very cool NASA images:Earth and Planet
18	Diamonds (Polymorphs)     discussion of polymorphs    (Hope Diamond) Mantle Transition Zone; minerals/ structures:   oxides and spinel structure, other oxides and structures	Diamond 85, 346-350 polys 267-276 oxides 375-389 Lab: Ch 6: 131-142 forms Ch 9	Lab 13: Miller Indices, forms, parameters  Review Crystal Systems
23	Lower Mantle minerals/ structures:  perovksite, garnet structures; post-perovskite Self-Assessment Questions: Descriptive Mineralogy: Earth's Crust    review composition of crust   review silicate structures/minerals Rock types (handout, Ch 21)	Per 86-87 gar 487-490 Rocks Chpt 5 Ch 21. 574-603 Intro material	Review previous labs Lab 14: Graphical representation of mineral compositions
25	Have a firm foundation of rock types and general classification Tectosilicates:     Qtz, Feldspars Self-Assessment Questions:	Qtz 468-470 534-539 Fsp 470-477 539-544	Lab 15: Tectosilicates - ID feldspars, quartz, zeolites (review metamorphic and sedimentary rocks) Visit Color in Quartz: Rainbow Quartz
30	Homework: Calculation of mineral formulae; 2 pyx geothermometry (p. 259) No formal lecture Use this time wisely. Come to class and review for test with you fellow classmates.	Methods: Ch 14	Lab 16:  Analytical Methods in Mineralogy -  SEM, electron microprobe analyses; tour lab Tectosilicates: Calculation of mineral formulae; Fsp calculations

November

1	LECTURE EXAM 2 check out old exam Test covers from end of Crystallography (last Test) through Mantle Minerals with an overview of the crust. GSA Meeting	Qtz 468-470 534-539 Fsp 470-477 539-544	Lab 15 (cont): Tectosilicates - answer questions feldspars, quartz, zeolites (review metamorphic and sedimentary rocks) Qtz, fsp in thin section
6	Tectosilicates:         Feldspars, feldspathoid, zeolites  Self-Assessment Questions:	fspd 544-549 zeolites 477-482 549-553	Lab 17: Phyllosilicates, non-quad inosilicates mica group, brittle micas, clays, spodumene, jadeite, aegirine,  wollastonite, glaucophane,
8	Phyllosilicates:    Micas, - clays Non-quad inosilicates Self-Assessment Questions:	456-467 519-533 pxyd 510-514	LAB EXAM II through tectosilicates, including Miller Indices, plotting, etc.
10 (Friday) optional meet at 10:45am back parking lot	Field Trip - Gold Exhibit - New Orleans click here for 2006 Field Trip to Avery Island Salt Dome -  Cargille Industries Click here for 2005 field trip photos		be prepared for rain and shine,
13	Nesosilicates (other than garnet and olivine) Al-silicates, topaz, zircon, titanite, staurolite (my favorite), chloritoid Sorosilicates    pseudomorphs, metamict minerals Self-Assessment Questions:	491-501 282-286	Phyllosilicates lab - mica in thin section
15	Cyclo- silicates    cordierite, beryl, tourmaline Self-Assessment Questions:	502-505 226-234	Lab 18: Neso- Soro- Cyclo- silicates Learn more about petrology of metamorphic rocks, see beautiful photomicrographs of metamorphic rocks
20	Carbonates (sedimentary env) (Things that microbes eat!!!) Self-Assessment Questions:	Chpt 17 399-416	Lab 19: Carbonates, sulfates,   phosphates, (sedimentary environments)
22	Thanksgiving: No Class!		Happy Turkey Day!!
27	Sulfates, Phosphates, Halides, Self-Assessment Questions:	Chpt 17	Lab 19: Review minerals (sedimentary environments)
29	LECTURE EXAM 3 Check out old exam	Ch 15 Ch 16	Lab 20: Sulfides, native elements, oxides, hydroxides, halides

December

4	Oxides, Hydroxides, sulfides, native elements		LAB EXAM 3 (Silicates, carbonates, PO4, OH) see Mackay Silver Collections
6	Ore Deposits: Sulfides, native elements Environmental Mineralogy		Environmental Mineralogy
Wed Dec 12 5:30-7:30pm	LECTURE  FINAL		COMPREHENSIVE
Sat Dec 15 10 - noon	LAB FINAL		COMPREHENSIVE

updated 8/24/07

Return to home