Minerals are all around you--they make up the rocks in the earth and the soil on the ground. They are in many products you use daily (whether it be toothpaste, cosmetics, etc.); they are used in making foods and beverages; they are used in construction and the manufacture of everyday materials; you wear them (metals, jewelry, etc.); you use them for transportation. Minerals are IN you (your teeth, for example); they are necessary ingredients of life, though they may also cause health problems. They are used to save life and clean up the environment, but they may also be used to cause widespread death and destruction. They make up the framework in which we live.
The really handy thing about minerals is that they follow certain physical and chemical rules. If you know how a mineral works (how it grows, deforms, etc.), then you can figure out how to use it to your advantage. This course is an introduction to the external form, external and internal symmetry, physical properties, chemical composition, crystal structure, and crystal chemistry of minerals. We will use mineral hand-samples, crystal form models, atomic structure models and polarizing microscopes to uncover even the subtlest properties of minerals.
To contact me:
Phone: (319) 895-4302
E-mail: ewalsh@cornellcollege.edu
Last Update: July 15, 2008 8:41 am