Geology courses by Mike Horne for Hull University

Department of Geography

Geological Materials

Level 4 course

Geoscience Degree 1st Year

Tutors: Mike Horne and Mike Rogerson.

Proposed to start September 2013.

 

(Risk assessment for fieldwork)

(Risk assessment for laboratory work)

Indicative Course Content (rocks and minerals) :-

Health and safety.

The physical properties of minerals - crystal shape, colour, streak, harness, density, etc.

Crystallography.

The identification of common rock forming minerals, such as quartz, feldspar, micas, calcite, etc. and some rarer minerals and gemstones.

The rock cycle.

The major categories of rock types and how they are formed.

The physical properties of rocks - mineralogy, texture, grain size, etc.

The identification of the more common rock types - such as granite, basalt, slate, gneiss, marble, limestone, clays, sandstones etc.

How to use a polarising microscope.

Using the optical properties of minerals visible using a polarising microscope - crystal shape, colour, birefringence, pleochroism, etc. to identify minerals

The common rock forming minerals in thin section, such as quartz, feldspar, micas, calcite, etc.

Using the optical properties of rocks - mineralogy, texture, grain size, etc. to identify and classify rock types

Recommended Reading -

Stephen C. Porter, Jeffrey Park, Brian J. Skinner 2003 The Dynamic Earth: An Introduction to Physical Geology. 648 pp and CDROM; John Wiley and Sons

Mackenzie WS & A E Adams 1994. A colour atlas of Rocks and minerals in thin section. Manson Publishing, London. isbn 1874545170

Contact time -

One day's fieldwork

20 hours on Rocks and Minerals (10 Credits)

plus 10 hours on fossils (5 Credits)

 

Course assessment -

Continuous assessment of Practical Work plus a one hour Practical Examination.

 

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present course - notes for students

 

updated January 2012