Basic knowledge of mineralogy for the study of the mineral behaviour in relation to petrologic and geodynamic processes and their applications in materials of industrial and gemmological interest, and in the field of cultural heritage and environmental protection.
Lectures (use of video-projector for computer and blackboard) supplemented by tutorials and exercises in order to obtain a continuous monitoring of students' understanding.
Optical determinations using polarizing microscope.
Type of Assessment
Oral examination
Course program
Genetic processes of minerals. Crystalline and amorphous state. Crystal morphology and symmetry. Periodicity, lattice and unit cell. Bravais lattices. X-ray production and diffraction. Bragg equation. Interpretation of power diffraction patterns. Anisotropy and physical properties. Density, hardness, elettric and magnetic properties, cleavage. Optical properties: refractive index, birifrangence, indicatrices for uniaxial and biaxial minerals, optical sign. Interference figures.
Chemical bonds in minerals. Ionic radii and coordination polyhedra: the effects of temperature and pressure. Solid solutions: isomorphic substitutions. Crystal-chemical formulae. Polymorphism: displacive and reconstructive transitions and their significance in the interpretation of petrologic processes. Rock-forming silicate minerals: nesosilicates (olivine, garnet, zircon, aluminum silicates); sorosilicates (epidotes and melilites); cyclosilicates (beryl and tourmaline); inosilicates (pyroxenes and amphiboles); fillosilicates (kaolinite, serpentine, talc, chlorite, micas and clay minerals); tectosilicates (silica minerals, feldspars, feldspathoids). Main non-silicate minerals: metal elements, diamond, graphite, sulfur, halite, fluorite, spinels, hematite, corundum, pyrite, galena, sphalerite, calcite, aragonite, dolomite, anhydride, gypsum, apatite.