GLS 216 Rocks and Minerals

4 Credit(s)

This course addresses minerals and rocks of Earth. Students will investigate mineral properties and occurrences, hand specimen and optical properties of igneous and metamorphic minerals and rocks as well as the basic concepts and principles related to the genesis and evolution of igneous and metamorphic rocks and their relation to plate tectonics and magmatic processes. Activities include mineral and rock classification and identification using hand specimens, thin and polished sections, as well as interpretations of phase, discrimination and other types of descriptive diagrams in a project-oriented, experiential format. Three lecture hours per week and three hours of laboratory per week.
Prerequisites: Two Geological Sciences 100-level laboratory courses, or permission of Department Chairperson.