Mineralogy
| Title | ΟΡΥΚΤΟΛΟΓΙΑ / Mineralogy |
| Code | NGMO 205Y |
| Faculty | Sciences |
| School | Geology |
| Cycle / Level | 1st / Undergraduate |
| Teaching Period | Spring |
| Coordinator | Lamprini Papadopoulou |
| Common | No |
| Status | Active |
| Course ID | 600019020 |
Programme of Study: PPS-Tmīma Geōlogías (2020-sīmera)
Registered students: 116
| Orientation | Attendance Type | Semester | Year | ECTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KORMOS | Compulsory Course | 2 | 1 | 7 |
| Academic Year | 2024 – 2025 |
| Class Period | Spring |
| Faculty Instructors |
|
| Instructors from Other Categories |
|
| Weekly Hours | 5 |
| Total Hours | 65 |
| Class ID | 600257501
|
Course Type 2021
General Foundation
Course Type 2011-2015
General Foundation
Mode of Delivery
- Face to face
Digital Course Content
- e-Study Guide https://qa.auth.gr/en/class/1/600257501
- eLearning (Moodle): https://elearning.auth.gr/enrol/index.php?id=689
Erasmus
The course is also offered to exchange programme students.
Language of Instruction
- Greek (Instruction, Examination)
- English (Instruction, Examination)
Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of the course, the student will be able to:
1) Understand, define, and describe the basic concepts of crystallography.
2) Distinguish and classify the crystal systems.
3) Explain and determine methods for identifying crystallographic parameters.
4) Recognize and comprehend analytical methods for determining mineral structure.
5) Explain the basic concepts of mineral chemistry and systematic mineralogy.
6) Identify and classify macroscopic minerals using their physical properties.
7) Describe and explain the structure and atomic arrangement of minerals.
8) Solve problems related to the chemical composition of minerals.
General Competences
- Apply knowledge in practice
- Work autonomously
- Work in teams
- Respect natural environment
Course Content (Syllabus)
1) INTRODUCTION: Objective of Crystallography. Definition of a crystal. Anisotropic-Isotropic-Homogeneous bodies. Definition of crystal zone. Law of Constancy of Interfacial Angles.
2) TRANSFORMATIONS IN SPACE – CRYSTAL SYMMETRY: Simple symmetry operations. Symmetry axes, planes and centers.
3) CRYSTAL CLASSES: Simple and crystals. Natural and apparent symmetry. Point symmetry. Geometrical laws applied to the crystals of the 32 crystal classes. Haüy’s law or law of rational indices.
4) PLANE INDICES: Identifying axial intercepts and plane indices.
5) CRYSTAL SYSTEMS: Crystallographic axes. Crystals of the 7 crystal systems. Inversion axes and inversion planes.
6) CRYSTAL INTERGROWTH – TWINNING: Parallel intergrowth. Twinning and Polysynthetic twinning. Pseudosymmetry. Epitaxy and topotaxy.
7) CRYSTAL LATTICE – ATOMIC STRUCTURE AND ARRANGEMENT: Lattice points, lattice planes, unit cell. Bravais lattices. Relationship between lattice and regular intergrowth. Determination of crystal structure by X-ray methods.
8) HISTORICAL BACKGROUND – MINERAL DEFINITION: Objective of Mineralogy. Association with other scientific fields. Historical background. Mineral definition.
9) SUBSTITUTION – SOLID SOLUTIONS – EXSOLUTION: Atomic substitutions. Definition of Solid Solution. Exsolution phenomena.
10) ISOMORPHISM – POLYMORPHISM – POLYTYPISM: Definition and examples of Isomorphism, Polymorphism, Polytypism. Mechanisms of Polymorphism.
11) MAGNETIC – ELECTRIC PROPERTIES: Piezoelectricity. Pyroelectricity. Radioactivity.
12) BASIC CONCEPTS OF PETROLOGY: Fundamentals of Petrography. Igneous rocks. Sedimentary rocks. Metamorphic rocks.
13) MINERAL CLASSIFICATION AND CHEMICAL FORMULA: Native elements. Sulfides. Oxides – Hydroxides. Halides – Sulfates. Carbonates. Silicates.
Keywords
Crystal, mineral, rock, crystal system, crystal lattice, twinning
Educational Material Types
- Notes
- Slide presentations
- Book
Use of Information and Communication Technologies
Use of ICT
- Use of ICT in Course Teaching
- Use of ICT in Laboratory Teaching
- Use of ICT in Communication with Students
- Use of ICT in Student Assessment
Description
1) All class material is available in electronic form to all students through the course web page
2) The teacher communicates with students through email and Facebook
3) The class evaluation is performed through the Quality Assurance Unit (MO.DI.P.)
Course Organization
| Activities | Workload | ECTS | Individual | Teamwork | Erasmus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lectures | 78 | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Laboratory Work | 65 | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Fieldwork | 15 | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Reading Assigment | 14 | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Exams | 3 | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Total | 175 |
Student Assessment
Description
1. Written Exam with short-answer questions on topics taught at theory. It makes up 70% of the overall score.
2. Exam concerning the course laboratories. It constitutes 30% of the total score.
3. Submission of a report concerning the mandatory fieldwork.
Student Assessment methods
- Written Exam with Multiple Choice Questions (Formative, Summative)
- Written Exam with Problem Solving (Formative, Summative)
Bibliography
Course Bibliography (Eudoxus)
1. “ΟΡΥΚΤΟΛΟΓΙΑ – ΠΕΤΡΟΛΟΓΙΑ” ΘΕΟΔΩΡΙΚΑΣ ΣΤΕΡΓΙΟΣ Σ., Εκδόσεις: Γραφικές Τέχνες «ΜΕΛΙΣΣΑ», 2013.
2. "ΟΡΥΚΤΟΔΙΑΓΝΩΣΤΙΚΗ", Η.ΣΑΠΟΥΝΤΖΗΣκαι Γ.ΧΡΙΣΤΟΦΙΔΗΣ, ΕΚΔΟΣΕΙΣ UNIVERSITYSTUDIOPRESS, ΘΕΣΣΑΛΟΝΙΚΗ.
Additional bibliography for study
ΜΑΘΗΜΑΤΑ ΟΡΥΚΤΟΛΟΓΙΑΣ – Εισαγωγή στην Κρυσταλλογραφία, ΚΩΝΣΤΑΝΤΙΝΟΣ Τ. ΣΟΛΔΑΤΟΣ, ΤΜΗΜΑ ΕΚΔΟΣΕΩΝ Α.Π.Θ., 2010.
“The basics of crystallography and diffraction”, Christopher Hammond, Oxford University press, 1997
ΣΗΜΕΙΩΣΕΙΣ ΟΡΥΚΤΟΛΟΓΙΑΣ-ΑΣΚΗΣΕΙΣ, Γ. ΧΡΙΣΤΟΦΙΔΗΣ
ΟΡΥΚΤΟΔΙΑΓΝΩΣΤΙΚΗ-ΣΗΜΕΙΩΣΕΙΣ ΓΙΑ ΤΑ ΕΡΓΑΣΤΗΡΙΑ, Γ. ΧΡΙΣΤΟΦΙΔΗΣΚΑΙ Τ. ΣΟΛΔΑΤΟΣ
Last Update
03-07-2025
