GEOLOGICAL RESOURCES AND APPLICATIONS MINERALOGY AND PETROGRAPHY
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- Versione italiana
- Academic year
- 2022/2023
- Teacher
- GIANLUCA BIANCHINI
- Credits
- 6
- Didactic period
- Secondo Semestre
- SSD
- GEO/09
Training objectives
- The goal of this course is to explain the importance of mineralogical, petrographical and geochemical investigations in order to characterize the natural resources and to plan their sustainable exploitation.
The teaching module intends to explain that what is observed in the nature of rocks, regoliths (but also surface- and ground-water) is related to chemical and mineralogical processes that can be investigated and understood using a wide spectrum of “bulk” and “in situ” chemical and mineralogical analyses. The aim is to familiarize with the use of multiple analytical techniques that help to understand environmental reactions. A the end of the teaching module the student will be able to appreciate that interconnections between disciplines such as the mineralogy, petrography and geochemistry are important to understand what is occurring on important GEORESOURCES such as soils and natural water that are of paramount importance for the human life. The student will become aware of the importance of these disciplines to discover raw material useful for the industry, and also for specific applications dedicated to the human heritage conservation.
In synthesis the course intends to develop ability to utilize mineralogical, petrographical and geochemical data in fields concerning the georesources, the environment and the In synthesis the course intends to develop ability to utilize mineralogical, petrographical and geochemical data in fields concerning the georesources, the environment, and the cultural heritage. Prerequisites
- To follow the course basic knowledge of chemistry, mineralogy, petrography and geology are required.
Course programme
- The module consists of 24 (2-hours) lessons.
The weathering processes, the genesis of soils and "mineralization" of natural waters (4 lessons).
The SOIL is a georesource to be preserved and exploited with a sustainable approach.
The course illustrates mineralogical and geochemical investigation that allow to evaluate the quality of the terrains (4 lessons).
The WATER is a georesource fundamental for the Earth life. The course illustrates geochemical investigations useful to evaluate the water quality (6 lessons).
The course faces the effects of anthropogenic contributions on the ecosystems, describing as example the NITROGEN CYCLE (1 lesson).
The course explains the CARBON CYCLE, discussing the use of geochemical and mineralogical data to define the magnitude of carbon reservoirs and fluxes, also emphasizing the economic importance of carbon products and the effect of anthropogenic contributions on the environment (1 lesson).
The course introduces the importance of rocks as BUILDING STONES (4 lessons), and explains the utilization of rocks and minerals in the preparation of CEMENT and CERAMICS (4 lessons).
The final part consists in an introduction to the ORE DEPOSITS. Didactic methods
- The course includes both lessons and practical exercitations.
The theoretical lessons, on all the considered topics, will be carried out using projected powerpoint presentations but also writing at the blackboard. Students are regularly involved to verify the degree of understanding of the considered topic. Interaction with the students also includes summaries of general geological topics, as well as focuses on specific disciplines such as mineralogy, petrography and geochemistry which are necessary to understand the considered topics. Practical lessons are dedicated to learn how to elaborate geochemical data. During these practical lessons the professor helps the students and verify the accuracy and correctness of the exercise done by the students. Learning assessment procedures
- The evaluation process includes two written tests (2 hours) that are done during the teaching period, and one oral examination that is done after the end of the course.
The first written test consists in an exercise (a mass balance) in which the student has to evaluate the magnitude of the weathering processes elaborationg chemical analyses of rocks having distinct degree of alteration (e.g. fresh rocks vs. their regoliths). In the second written test the student has to classify natural waters elaborating chemical analyses; the exercise requires to convert the chemical analyses from mg/l to meq/l and than to use specific classification diagrams.
In the oral examination (ca 30 minutes) the student has to present one of the topic of the course. Two questions will be devoted to evaluate the level of understanding obtained by the student.
The final mark consists on the average of the marks obtained in the tests and that obtained in the oral examination Reference texts
- The study will be facilitated by on-line material (in pdf format) reported in the Lecturer web site. This material includes the slides discussed and explained during the lessons.
Further books suggested to obtain more detailed information are
- Faure G., 1998. "Principles and Applications of Geochemistry", 2nd ed., Prentice Hall.
- Manning D.A.C. 1994. "Introduction to Industrial Minerals", Springer
- De Vivo B., Lima A., Siegel F. R., 2004. "Geochimica Ambientale", Liguori Editore.
- Primavori P., 1999. "Pianeta pietra", Zusi Editore.
- Vaughan D.J. and Wogelius R.A., 2012. "Environmental Mineralogy II volume" (2012), EMU Notes in Mineralogy.
