School Of Natural SciencesChemical MineralogyWestern Sydney University Unit Code: 14509.1
Discipline: EARTH SCIENCES
Student Contribution Band: NP
Level: 2
Credit Points: 10
Prerequisite
300224 Chemistry 1 OR 300554 Principles of Chemistry
About this Unit
This unit covers the composition, structure and parageneses of selected examples from the silicate and non-silicate mineral groups. It deals with the structures of simple ionic compounds, interpretation of structural data in the literature, aspects of solid solution, the forces which stabilize mineral lattices and the grouping of various minerals in terms of their chemical and structural characteristics. In addition, the application of transmitted and reflected polarising light microscopy and other analytical methods (X-rays, SEM and microprobe) in the study of minerals and their properties is explored.