Università Roma Tre

INTRODUCTION TO THE BASIC CONCEPTS OF MINERALOGY WITHIN THE EARTH SCIENCES. NATURAL MINERALS OF POTENTIAL TECHNOLOGICAL/INDUSTRIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL INTEREST. (24 H).
MORPHOLOGICAL AND STRUCTURAL CRYSTALLOGRAPHY: SYMMETRY ELEMENTS AND OPERATIONS, THE 32 CRYSTAL CLASSES, REPRESENTATION OF SYMMETRIES AND CRYSTAL PROJECTION. INTRODUCTION TO STRUCTURAL CRYSTALLOGRAPHY. (10 H)
CRYSTAL-CHEMISTRY: THE CHEMICAL BOND, IONIC AND COVALENT MATERIALS, PAULING RULES, ISOMORPHISM (SOLID-SOLUTION) AND POLYMORPHISM (PHASE TRANSITIONS) (4 H). DESCRIPTION AND CLASSIFICATION OF THE MOST COMMON MINERALS: NATIVE ELEMENTS, SULFIDES, OXIDES, HALOGENIDES, SULFATES, PHOSPHATES, SILICATES. (18 H). GEOLOGICAL ENVIRONMENTS OF MINERAL FORMATION: SEDIMENTARY, IGNEOUS AND METAMORPHIC PROCESSES AND MINERAL ORES. (4 H). IDENTIFICATION AND ANALYTICAL TECHNIQUES FOR MINERALS. (2 H).
MINERAL OPTICS: INTERACTION OF LIGHT WITH MATTER AND OPTICAL INDICATRIX, THE POLARIZING MICROSCOPE, ALIGNMENT AND USE.
LABORATORY:
USE OF THE POLARIZING MICROSCOPE IN MINERALOGY: OBSERVATIONS WITH PARALLEL POLARS, RILEF, COLOR AND PLEOCHROISM, ESTIMATION OF REFRACTION INDEXES (BECKE LINE TEST), FRACTURES AND CLEAVAGE, HABIT. OBSERVATIONS WITH CROSSED POLARS: ISOTROPIC AND ANISOTROPIC MEDIA, INTERFERENCE COLORS, RETARDATION, ESTINCTION, USE OF ACCESSORY PLATES, ELONGATION, TWINNINGS. CONVERGENT LIGHT: MONOASSIC AND BIASSIC MATERIALS, INTERFERENCE FIGURE, OPTIC SIGN, FLASH FIGURE, 2V ESTIMATION. OPTIC ANALYSIS OF MOST COMMON ROCK-FORMING MINERALS: AMPHIBOLES, APATITE, BIOTITE, CALCITE, CLINOPYROXENE, GARNET, FELDSPARS, PLAGIOCLASE, OLIVINE, ORTHOPYROXENE, QUARTZ. (36 H).

KLEIN C. - MINERALOGIA. - ZANICHELLI, BOLOGNA.
DEER W.A., HOWIE R.A. & ZUSSMAN J. - INTRODUZIONE AI MINERALI CHE COSTITUISCONO LE ROCCE. - ZANICHELLI, BOLOGNA.
DYAR M.D., GUNTHER M.E., & TASA D. - MINERALOGY AND OPTICAL MINERALOGY. - MINERALOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA.
MOTTANA A. - FONDAMENTI DI MINERALOGIA GEOLOGICA. - ZANICHELLI, BOLOGNA.

Introduction to the basic concepts of mineralogy within the earth sciences. Natural minerals of potential technological/industrial and environmental interest. (24 h).
Morphological and structural crystallography: symmetry elements and operations, the 32 crystal classes, representation of symmetries and crystal projection. Introduction to structural crystallography. (10 h)
Crystal-chemistry: the chemical bond, ionic and covalent materials, pauling rules, isomorphism (solid-solution) and polymorphism (phase transitions) (4 h). Description and classification of the most common minerals: native elements, sulfides, oxides, halogenides, sulfates, phosphates, silicates. (18 h). Geological environments of mineral formation: sedimentary, igneous and metamorphic processes and mineral ores. (4 h). Identification and analytical techniques for minerals. (2 h).
Mineral optics: interaction of light with matter and optical indicatrix, the polarizing microscope, alignment and use.
Laboratory: Use of the polarizing microscope in mineralogy: observations with parallel polars, rilef, color and pleochroism, estimation of refraction indexes (becke line test), fractures and cleavage, habit. Observations with crossed polars: isotropic and anisotropic media, interference colors, retardation, estinction, use of accessory plates, elongation, twinnings. Convergent light: monoassic and biassic materials, interference figure, optic sign, flash figure, 2v estimation. Optic analysis of most common rock-forming minerals: amphiboles, apatite, biotite, calcite, clinopyroxene, garnet, feldspars, plagioclase, olivine, orthopyroxene, quartz. (36 h).

KLEIN C. - MINERALOGIA. - ZANICHELLI, BOLOGNA.
DEER W.A., HOWIE R.A. & ZUSSMAN J. - INTRODUZIONE AI MINERALI CHE COSTITUISCONO LE ROCCE. - ZANICHELLI, BOLOGNA.
DYAR M.D., GUNTHER M.E., & TASA D. - MINERALOGY AND OPTICAL MINERALOGY. - MINERALOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA.
MOTTANA A. - FONDAMENTI DI MINERALOGIA GEOLOGICA. - ZANICHELLI, BOLOGNA.

Various material provided by the teacher according to the themes developed during the course.