Crystals and Minerals

Abstract

In the lecture part, the objective of this course is to understand the basic concepts needed to understand the evolution, structure, and dynamics of the Earth from the perspectives of the mineralogy and crystallography.In the exercise part, the students familiarize with about 70 minerals and their macroscopic properties.

Objective

At the end of the lecture part, students should be able to explain the following, -formation processes of the solar system, the earth, and the moon. -structure of the earth -some important experimental approaches to determine the structure of the earth -some important phase transformations appeared in the Earth's deep interior. -some important crystal structures appeared in the Earth's deep interior. -mineralogy of the upper mantle, transition zone, lower mantle, and the core. -chemical composition of the mantle and core. At the end of the exercise course, the students will be able to determine and describe the mascroscopically observable properties of about 70 minerals and know the sum formulae of about 50 of them.

Content

Lecture part: • Introduction of the course • formation of the solar system • formation of the earth • formation of the moon • structure of the earth • experimental methods for exploring the structure of the planets -high pressure and high temperature experiments -X-ray diffraction -laser spectroscopy • phase transformation in deep planetary interiors • chemical composition of the earth • mineralogy of the upper mantle • mineralogy of the mantle transition zone • mineralogy of the lower mantle • mineralogy of the Core-Mantle-Boundary (CMB) • mineralogy of the core Exercise part: About 70 of the most important rock-forming and ore minerals and their properties

Resources