Download Minerals are the earth`s building blocks and an important human

EOS 3115 – Spring 2016
Prof. Rachel Beane
[email protected]
Mon & Wed 11:30 – 12:55 pm
Druckenmiller 024
Laboratory
Wednesday 1 - 3:55 pm
Druckenmiller 208
Minerals are the earth’s building blocks and an important human resource. The study of
minerals provides information on processes that occur within the earth’s core, mantle,
crust, and at its surface. At the surface, minerals interact with the hydrosphere,
atmosphere and biosphere, and are essential to understanding environmental issues.
Minerals and mineral processes will be examined using hand-specimens, crystal
structures, chemistry, and microscopy. Class projects will emphasize mineral-based
research.
Course goals are for you to:
• Practice aspects of research
o Define manageable questions/hypotheses
o Find and read scientific papers
o Learn analytical techniques
o Write proposals
o Collect, analyse, organize and interpret data
o Work in collaborative teams
o Communicate research progress and results
o Participate in peer review
• Explore aspects of mineral science
o Apply physical properties to the description and identification of minerals
o Analyse minerals using optical and electron microscopy methods
o Analyse data on crystal symmetry, chemistry and structures
o Make predictions using phase diagrams
• Make connections between mineral science &
o Interpretation of earth processes
o Human use of minerals
o Environmental problems/solutions
o Human health
o Politics and economics
Office hours: Druckenmiller 120: Tuesdays 2-3 pm, Thursdays 10:30 – 11:30 am, and
by appointment or when my door is open. I encourage you to talk with me in and out of
class about questions you have, your laboratory assignments, ideas for research
projects, and so forth.
Active participation: Research shows people must be engaged to learn. People learn
by actively participating in observing, speaking, writing, listening, thinking, drawing, and
doing. Your active participation is expected during class and laboratory exercises.
Please refrain from using portable-electronic devices, and from non-course related
internet use, during classes, laboratories, field labs, and office visits. These interfere
with your and other students’ active participation in the course.
Collaboration is encouraged for scientists seldom work alone and learning to
collaborate effectively with others is a key life skill. Many class and laboratory exercises
will involve collaboration. For most assignments, however, I expect that the writing and
final analysis will be your own.
When appropriate, please acknowledge those with
whom you have worked or from whom you have received ideas.
Plagiarism and
cheating (for laboratory assignments, papers, assessments, or anything) are not
acceptable.
Please consult http://www.bowdoin.edu/studentaffairs/academic-honesty/
or me if you have questions as to what constitutes academic dishonesty or how to avoid
plagiarism.
Please note: I ask students with learning, physical or psychiatric disabilities who are
taking this course and may need class, laboratory, or field accommodations, to discuss
those needs with me as soon as possible. Also, if you have not done so already, please
contact the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs to discuss your accommodation
request.
Conflicts between course requirements and religious holidays: Please let me know
early in the semester of any conflicts you foresee between the requirements for this
course and your observation of religious holidays. We will work together to define a
make-up option that might include rescheduling an assessment, assigning a new due
date for an assignment, or meeting with me during office hours.
Please recognize that the syllabus may change as the semester proceeds. Changes to
the syllabus, as well as readings, laboratory and other assignments will be posted on the
course web page at http://blackboard.bowdoin.edu.
Jan 25 Introduction to minerals and mineral science
research
27 Evolution of minerals
(please see Blackboard for
all readings)
Lab 1: Mineral Properties
Feb 1 Mineral symmetry
3 Mineral symmetry
Lab 2: Mineral Identification
Feb 8 Quartz
10 Phase diagrams
Lab 1 due
Lab 2 due; Mineral ID
poster due
Lab 3: Miller Indices
15 Assessment I and Mineral Chemistry
17 Mineral Chemistry
Lab 4: Chemical analyses of minerals
22 Crystal growth
24 Optical mineralogy
Lab 5: Optical mineralogy
29 Assessment II & Class project
Mar 2 Biomineralogy of coral bands (Prof. Lavigne)
and Cathode Luminescence
Lab: Class project
7 Class project
9 Class project
Lab: Class project
Spring vacation
Assessment I
Lab 3 due
Lab 4 due
Assessment II
Lab 5 due and
Mineral ID paper due
Research project ideas due
Class project due
Mar28 Interpreting mineral textures
30 Optical properties of minerals
Lab 6: Optical analysis of minerals
Apr 4 Phase diagrams and mineral reactions
6 Mineral paragenesis and thermobarometry
Lab 7: Phase diagrams and mineral reactions
11 Your topics
13 Your topics
Lab: Research Projects
Topics due
Research Project proposal
due
Lab 6 due
Lab 7 due
18 Your topics
20 Your topics
Lab: Research Projects
25 Assessment III
27 Field class and lab: Maine quarry (field lab date
pending weather & access; possible late return)
Assessment III
May 2 Research Projects – Meet in Druckenmiller 208
May 4 Research Projects – Meet in Druckenmiller 208
for class and lab
May 9 Research Projects – Meet in Druckemiller 208
Research project reflections
due
11 Research Projects - Meet in Druckenmiller 208
for class and lab
17 9am Final Examination scheduled
Research presentations
and paper due