2019/2020

2019/2020

DM270

GEO/06 (MINERALOGY)

DEPARTMENT OF EARTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES

APPLIED GEOLOGICAL SCIENCES

PERCORSO COMUNE

1°

1st semester (01/10/2019 - 15/01/2020)

6

48 lesson hours

English

ORAL TEST

ALVARO MATTEO (titolare) - 6 ECTS

Basic mathematics, basic chemistry, basic physics, mineralogy, petrology

Basic knowledge (undergraduate level) of algebra, matrices and vectors and their operations, basic trigonometry, graphical data and error estimate and representation
Basic knowledge (undergraduate level) atoms structure and interatomic interactions, chemical bonding, basic concepts of reactions, oxidation state, particle motion and wave propagation, forces and operation under static conditions (with principles of elasticity), energy and work.
Basic knowledge (undergraduate level) of symmetry, crystal structure and chemical composition of minerals.
Basic knowledge (undergraduate level) of phase diagrams, mineral phase stability in the inner Earth and mineral phase transformations at P and T

The course is aimed to provide the students with the basic principles and potential applications of state of the art scientific analytical techniques commonly used in Earth Sciences and Material Sciences. The entire course will focus on the techniques that allows scientists to investigate material, technological and geological processes from the micro- to the macro- scale.

The course is divided in tree parts in which the various techniques are grouped. During each of the three sections the working principles, the potential applications and the limitations of each instrument and method will be discussed in details.

• Part I (classes, laboratories and guided visit):
Will focus on the techniques to investigate crystalline structures using single-crystal diffraction (e.g. x-ray, neutron and synchrotron diffraction); powder diffraction (e.g. x-ray, neutron and synchrotron diffraction); and electron diffraction (transmission electron microscopy). All of these techniques will be analyzed also in the context of investigating materials under non-ambient conditions (e.g. Earth’s mantle conditions and/or technological materials such as ceramics). At the end of the first part of the course, the students will be accompanied for a visit at the swiss particle accelerator PSI (Paul Scherrer Institute) .

• Part II (classes plus practical):
Will focus on chemical and textural analyses using X-ray fluorescence, electron microprobe (WDS and EDS), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM).

• Part III (classes and laboratories):
will focus on vibrational spectroscopy techniques such as Raman, infrared and Mossbauer to investigate molecular behavior in compounds, oxidation state, etc.

Regular classes plus laboratories and practical

• Reviews in Mineralogy and Geochemistry:
o Microscopic to Macroscopic, vol. 14
o Transformation Proceses in Minerals, vol. 39
o High-Temperature and High-Pressure Crystal Chemistry, vol. 41
o Ultrahigh-Pressure Mineralogy: Physics and Chemistry of the Earth's Deep Interior, vol. 37
o Plastic Deformation of Minerals and Rocks, vol. 51
o Spectroscopic Methods in Mineralogy and Geology, vol. 18
o Spectroscopic Methods in Mineralogy and Materials Sciences, vol. 78
• EMU Notes in Mineralogy:
o Raman Spectroscopy Applied to Earth Sciences and Cultural Heritage vol. 12
o Mineral behaviour at extreme conditions, vol. 7
o Spectroscopic methods in mineralogy, vol. 6

The exam will consist on an oral interview where the student will be asked to properly address a scientific problem using some of the analytical techniques described during the course motivating their choice.