GEOL242-16S1 (C) Semester One 2016

Rocks, Minerals and Ores

15 points

Details:
Start Date: Monday, 22 February 2016
End Date: Sunday, 26 June 2016
Withdrawal Dates
Last Day to withdraw from this course:
  • Without financial penalty (full fee refund): Sunday, 6 March 2016
  • Without academic penalty (including no fee refund): Sunday, 22 May 2016

Description

An introduction to mineralogy, igneous and metamorphic petrology, and related ore deposits, and their use in interpretation of geological environments. Students will be introduced to geologic processes sensitive to pressure, temperature and volatile availability, including magma crystallisation and gold mineralisation.

The course will provide an introduction to mineralogy, igneous and metamorphic petrology, and related ore deposits.  Basic principles of mineralogy and microscopy will be built upon to describe and interpret igneous, metamorphic, and economically important rocks and minerals. The practical work involves naming and describing hand samples of common minerals, rocks and ores. In addition each student will be allocated a microscope for the laboratory work, and selected samples will be additionally examined and described in thin section and/or polished mount using transmitted light microscopy.

The lectures provide a theoretical background to some of the practical work (such as optical mineralogy and rock classification), but also provide an introduction to important mineralogical and rock-forming processes. Students will be introduced to geologic processes sensitive to pressure, temperature and volatile availability, including magma crystallisation and gold mineralisation. The course will show clearly how rocks and minerals can used to interpret various geological environments.
 
Timetable:
Lectures - 3 lectures per week
Laboratories - 1 lab (2.5 hours) per week

Learning Outcomes

  • Goal of the Course:
    Prepare students for higher level igneous, metamorphic, and volcanological studies; advanced courses in economic and mining geology; and field geology classes.

    Learning Outcomes:
    Students successfully completing this course will:
  •  Identify and describe common rock-forming and economically significant minerals, as well as igneous and metamorphic rocks, using both the microscope and hand specimens.
  •  Apply mineralogical properties and concepts, such as crystal structure and solid solution, to explain the composition and texture of rocks and mineral deposits in different crustal contexts.
  •  Apply the relevant concepts of chemistry and physics to explain mineralogic, igneous, metamorphic and ore forming processes using examples from New Zealand and the rest of the world.
  •  Be enthusiastic about field and laboratory-based mineralogy and petrology.
  •  Appreciate that skills practiced in mineralogy, petrology and ore geology will be useful in any future career (geological or otherwise).

    Summary of the Course Content:
    The topics coved by this course are:
  • Optical mineralogy and mineral identification
  • Igneous, metamorphic and ore forming environments

Prerequisites

(1) GEOL111, and (2) GEOL113 or GEOL115

Course Coordinator / Lecturer

Ben Kennedy

Assessment

Assessment Due Date Percentage  Description
In-class assignments 10% In-class assignments (laboratory completions)
Mid-semester test 25% Mid-semester test
Laboratory examination 25% Laboratory examination - week 23
Final examination 40% Final examination


GEOL242, along with GEOL243 and GEOL244 are highly recommended preparation for the300 level field trip courses GEOL351 and 352

Textbooks / Resources

Recommended Reading

Robb, L. J; Introduction to ore-forming processes ; Blackwell Pub, 2005.

Winter, John D; Principles of igneous and metamorphic petrology ; 2nd ed; Prentice Hall, 2010.

Optical Mineralogy by David Shelley (to be purchased from Geological Sciences, Room 101D)

Course links

Library portal

Notes

The topics covered by this course are
• optical mineralogy and mineral identification
• igneous, metamorphic and ore forming environments

Relationship to other courses
GEOL242 is highly recommended preparation for the 300 level field trip courses GEOL351 and 352, and is required for entry into GEOL336, GEOL337 and GEOL338.

Prerequisites
The required Prerequisites for GEOL242 are GEOL111 "Planet Earth" and GEOL112 "Understanding Earth History", or, with HOD permission and a B+ average GEOL111 "Planet Earth" and GEOL113 "Environmental Geohazards".

Additional Course Outline Information

Academic integrity

Marks and Grades
The Department of Geological Sciences uses the following scale to convert marks into grades:
100 – 90 A+ 74 – 70 B 54 – 50 C-
89 – 85 A 69 – 65 B- 49 – 40 D
84 – 80 A- 64 – 60 C+ Below 40 E
79 – 75 B+ 59 – 55 C

The Department of Geological Sciences reserves the right to adjust this mark/grade conversion, when deemed necessary.

Late Work
It is the policy for this course that late work is not accepted. Or, late work should be accompanied with a detailed explanation of why the work is late. The work will be marked and marks will be subtracted for each day the work is late. Days late include week-end and holidays.

Academic Liaison
Christopher Oze (room 329, HUchristopher.oze@canterbury.ac.nzUH, is in charge of liaison with students in geology courses. Each year level will appoint a student representative(s) to the liaison committee at the start of the semester. Please feel free to talk to the Academic Liaison or the student rep about any problems or concerns that you might have.

Students with Disabilities
Students with disabilities should speak with someone at Disability Resource Service. Their office is room 317 in the Rutherford Building. Phone: 364 2350 (or ext. 6350), email: disabilities@canterbury.ac.nz

Policy on Dishonest Practice
Plagiarism, collusion, copying and ghost writing are unacceptable and dishonest practices.
• Plagiarism is the presentation of any material (text, data, figures or drawings, on any medium including computer files) from any other source without clear and adequate acknowledgement of the source.
• Collusion is the presentation of work performed in conjunction with another person or persons, but submitted as if it has been completed only by the names author(s).
• Copying is the use of material (in any medium, including computer files) produced by another person(s) with or without their knowledge and approval.
• Ghost writing is the use of another person(s) (with or without payment) to prepare all or part of an item submitted for assessment.

In cases where dishonest practice is involved in tests or other work submitted for credit, the student will be referred to the University Proctor. The instructor may choose to not mark the work.

Reconsideration of Grades
Students should, in the first instance, speak to the course co-ordinator about their marks. If they cannot reach an agreeable solution, students should then speak to the Head of the Geological Sciences Department. Students can appeal any decision made on their final grade. You can apply at the Registry to appeal the final grade within 4 weeks of the end of the semester. Be aware that there are time limits for each step of the appeals process.

Aegrotat Applications
If you feel that illness, injury, bereavement or other critical circumstances has prevented you from completing an item of assessment or affected your performance, you should complete an aegrotat application form, available from the Registry or the Student Health and Counselling Service. This should be within seven days of the due date for the required work or the date of the examination. In the case of illness or injury, medical consultation should normally have taken place shortly before or within 24 hours after the due date for the required work, or the date of the test or examination. For further details on aegrotat applications, please refer to the Enrolment Handbook. You have the right to appeal any decision made, including aegrotat decisions.

Missing of Tests
In rare cases a student will not be able to sit a test. In such cases, the student should consult with the course co-ordinator or the Head of the Department of Geological Sciences to arrange alternative procedures. This must be done well in advance of the set date for the test.

Provisional Timetable

Week # Dates Lectures Lecturer                                              Laboratory
3 per week                              Four streams
9 23rd Feb Intro to mineralogy, geochemistry, and microscopes               BK Intro to Microscopes
10 2nd March Melting of the mantle- Olivine, pyroxenes, oxides, & plagioclase BK Solid Solutions and Mineral ID Techniques
11 9th March Granites-Mica, chlorite, quartz, k-feldspar & hornblende            BK Phase Diagrams and                  Mineral ID Techniques
12 16th March Crystal Nucleation & Growth- Amphiboles, glass & bubbles BK Mineral and Rock Textures
13 23th March Rock Identification & Magma Differentiation                BK Magma Generation versus Differentiation
14 30th March Volcano Types and TVZ                                                BK Volcanic Rocks

18 28th April Introduction                                                               CO Mid-Semester Exam
19 4th May Metamorphic Terminology and Textures                               CO Metamorphic Rocks Part I
20 11th May Metamorphic Reactions                                               CO Metamorphic Rocks Part II
21 18th May Metamorphic Processes                                               CO Metamorphic Textures and Facies
22 25th May Interpreting Metamorphic History                               CO Practice Lab Exam
23 1st June Review                                                                               CO Lab Exam

Indicative Fees

Domestic fee $832.00

International fee $3,638.00

* All fees are inclusive of NZ GST or any equivalent overseas tax, and do not include any programme level discount or additional course-related expenses.

Minimum enrolments

This course will not be offered if fewer than 30 people apply to enrol.

For further information see School of Earth and Environment .

All GEOL242 Occurrences

  • GEOL242-16S1 (C) Semester One 2016