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Course Name Course ID Prerequisites Optical Mineralogy EMR 202 Syllabus

This course covers optical mineralogy using polarized light microscopy. The course introduces the polarizing microscope and concepts of light reflection and refraction. Students learn to identify minerals based on their optical properties such as color, pleochroism, and interference figures. Key minerals studied include quartz, feldspars, micas, amphiboles, pyroxenes, olivine, carbonates, and sulfates. The goal is for students to differentiate rock-forming minerals in thin sections using each mineral's characteristic optical behavior.

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Muhammad Amirul Furqon
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34 views

Course Name Course ID Prerequisites Optical Mineralogy EMR 202 Syllabus

This course covers optical mineralogy using polarized light microscopy. The course introduces the polarizing microscope and concepts of light reflection and refraction. Students learn to identify minerals based on their optical properties such as color, pleochroism, and interference figures. Key minerals studied include quartz, feldspars, micas, amphiboles, pyroxenes, olivine, carbonates, and sulfates. The goal is for students to differentiate rock-forming minerals in thin sections using each mineral's characteristic optical behavior.

Uploaded by

Muhammad Amirul Furqon
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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OPTICAL MINERALOGY

Course Name
Course ID
Prerequisites
Optical Mineralogy
EMR 211
EMR 202
Syllabus:
1- Introduction to the Course
Definition of optical mineralogy Nature of Light (Theories of light, Wave
Nomenclature, Electromagnetic Radiation, Wave Front, Wave Normal, Phase and
Interference
2- Polarizing Microscope
- General features, Optical system, Parts of microscope
- Illumination system, Accessory plates, Centering the microscope, Care of the
microscope
3- Reflection and Refraction
The index of refraction, Snell's Law, Critical Angle and Total Reflection, Polarization of
light
4- Optical Properties of Minerals Using Polarized Light: (Color, Form and Habit,
Cleavage, pleochroism refractive index relief twinkling)
5- Uniaxial and Biaxial Indicatrix
6- Optical Properties of Minerals Using Crossed Nicols (Isotropic and anisotropic
minerals, Interference colors, Extinction Elongation sign Twinning Zoning)
7- Exam
8- Optical Properties Of Minerals Using Convergent Polarized Light (means of obtaining
convergent polarized light formation of Interference figures)
Uniaxial Interference Figures (types estimation of birefringence optic sign
determination)
9- Biaxial Interference Figures (types estimation of birefringence optic sign
determination) The difference between uniaxial and Biaxial interference figures The
importance of interference figures
10- Midterm Exam
11- Optical Properties Of The Rock Forming Minerals[3]
- Classification of minerals according to their importance in the formation of rocks
(essential silicates, accessory silicates, metamorphic silicates, and nonsilicates)
11 - Silica Group (quartz chalcedony)
12- Alkali feldspars[4] (orthoclase microcline sanidine)
- Plagioclase feldspars (the characteristic optical properties of this group of minerals
methods of differentiation between the minerals according to the An contents.
13- Mica Group (biotite muscovite chlorite)
- Amphibole Group (actinolite tremolite hornblende riebeckite)
14- - Pyroxene and olivine Groups (Enstatite Hypersthene Augite Diopside
Aegirine Olivine)
- Metamorphic silicates (andalusite kyanite garnet)
15- Accessory Silicates (Zircon Apatite Tourmaline Sphene)
-- Non-silicate minerals - Carbonates (calcite dolomite)
16- Halides (fluorite halite)
Sulphate (gypsum anhydrite)

Learning Outcomes:
The student can be able toknow the following:
1- Student can different various parts of the polarizing microscope.
2- Student can differentiate the optical properties of minerals.
3- Student can Identify rock-forming minerals in thin sections.
Course objectives:
Students in this course will learn about:
1- The different parts of the polarizing microscope.
2- The double refraction that characterize anisotropic minerals
3- The different optical properties of minerals
4- Identification of minerals according to their optical properties

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