GO 324 Rocks and Minerals Dr. Susan Ward Aber www.emporia.edu/earthsci/amber/go324/intro.htm

Emporia State University Emporia, Kansas USA Earth Science Department

---

Fall 2008 Petrology Class at Stanton Limestone Left to right: Joseph, Gayla, Susie, Scott, CeLena, John, Sam Photo © by J.S. Aber, November 2008

Course Introduction General Enrollment Information General Course Information Schedule in Brief References and Links

Return to the top.

General Enrollment Information

Emporia State University will make reasonable accommodations for persons with documented disabilities. Students need to contact the Director of Disability Services, http://www.emporia.edu/disability/, and the professor as early in the semester as possible to ensure that classroom and academic accommodations are implemented in a timely fashion. All communication between students, the Office of Disability Services, and the professor will be strictly confidential.

• Course location and time: Tuesday/Thursday, 11-12:20 pm; ESU Science Hall, Room 128
• Instructor contact information: Susie Aber; Science Hall, Office 109 A, T 1-4 & by appointment; saber@emporia.edu; 620-341-5977
• Prerequisite course: ES110/111 or by consent of instructor
• Required text: Chesterman, C. W. 1979. Audubon society field guide to North American rocks and minerals (23rd Printing?). Alfred A. Knopf. (ISBN 0-394-50269-8)
• Recommended equipment: Triplet Loupe (10X). Read about these magnifiers at About.com geology, http://geology.about.com/library/products/aabyb-magnifiers.htm. A BelOMO 10x Triplet Loupe Magnifier is a reliable lens and ask me about where to purchase locally!
• Course objectives and outcomes: This course is about solid materials, namely minerals, rocks, sediments, and other solids, that make up the Earth's crust. Students learn about the composition and internal structure of minerals, the conditions under which minerals form, common rock-forming mineral assemblages, and typical geological environments in which various minerals and rocks are created. Hand specimen identification of common minerals and rocks is emphasized. At the completion of the course, students should be able to:
• understand the basics of rock and mineral properties that are needed for hand specimen identification;
• describe the conditions of rock and mineral formation;
• identify common rock-forming mineral assemblages;
• appreciate the geologic environments and field settings for rocks and minerals.
• Grading: 4 exams, 15% each; specimen collection 20%; assignments/class & field trip attendance 20%. Academic dishonesty will result in a lower grade, and attendance is required.
• Field trip: The required all-day course field trip will include sights in Woodson and Wilson counties. The primary purpose of this trip is to collect and observe rocks and minerals in natural environments of origin and formation. You will likely collect 20-25 different specimens this day; thus, additional collecting is recommended in and around Emporia and on other field trips.
• Specimen collections: Assembled from the class field trip and your personal mineral and rock collections. Grading: 80% of the specimen collection grade is in the correct identification and accompanying information for the actual specimens; 20% of the grade is in overall organization, neatness, and style.

  Minerals should be grouped and labeled by chemical classification (e.g., carbonate, oxide, phyllosilicate, etc.) or chemical formula, and find location should be included if known. Rocks should be classified (e.g., igneous, metamorphic, sedimentary), dated (e.g., formation or member name if known, series or system using geologic maps for identification), and located (e.g., city/county & state/province).

  Collections should contain no more than 40 specimens that are correctly identified and labeled. It is highly recommended that each specimen has a label and the overall collection has a typed organizing sheet, which lists all specimens. Specimens should be placed in a logical grouping and be displayed in some kind a case, although presentation style can vary.

If you are enrolled in this course, please email me at saber@emporia.edu and introduce yourself by September 2, 2008. Place GO 324 syllabus in the subject line, provide me with your preferred email address, and remind me to add one point to your first test for participating and following instructions!

Return to the top.

SCHEDULE in BRIEF

References and Notable Links

• Bates, R. L., & Jackson, J. A. (Eds.) 1987. Glossary of geology (Third Edition). Alexandria, VA: American Geological Institue.
• Chesterman, C. W. 1978. The Audubon society field guide to North American rocks and minerals. NY: Alfred A. Knopf.
• Raymond, L. A. 1995. Petrology the study of igneous sedimentary metamorphic rocks. Dubuque, IA: Wm. C. Brown Publishers.
• Interactive Map of Rock Clubs in the US, http://find.mapmuse.com/interest/rock_clubs. Rock shops are located at http://find.mapmuse.com/interest/rock_shops.
• Origins and Occurrences, www.emporia.edu/earthsci/amber/go340/origins.htm
• Kansas Minerals, www.emporia.edu/earthsci/outreach/fourh.htm
• Missouri is a State of Mines, www.emporia.edu/earthsci/outreach/missouri.htm.

Course Lecture Links

Petrology Introduction www.emporia.edu/earthsci/amber/go324/intro.htm	Minerals www.emporia.edu/earthsci/amber/go324/mineral.htm
Rocks www.emporia.edu/earthsci/amber/go324/rock.htm	Igneous www.emporia.edu/earthsci/amber/go324/igneous.htm
Sedimentary Rock www.emporia.edu/earthsci/amber/go324/sediment.htm	Metamorphic Rock www.emporia.edu/earthsci/amber/go324/metamor.htm
Course Field Trip www.emporia.edu/earthsci/amber/go324/field_trip.htm	Course Syllabus www.emporia.edu/earthsci/amber/go324/syllabus.htm

Return to the top.

This page originates from the Earth Science department for the use and benefit of students enrolled at Emporia State University. The curriculum is © by the author, 2001-2008. Last update 26 November 2008. For more information contact the course instructor, Dr. S. W. Aber, e-mail: saber@emporia.edu

To understand copyright, visit www.wipo.int/about-ip/en/copyright.html and lcweb.loc.gov/copyright/. All rights reserved. Susan Ward Aber.