In the most basic terms, mineralogy is the study of minerals, however that is a deceptively simple definition. This course has offered an introduction to a broad range of topics relating to minerals and geology. We started by learning the fundamental concept of symmetry, something which we used again and again throughout the course. We learned how to use Miller indices and Hermann–Mauguin notation to better understand and classify crystals. We studied how the chemical content of each mineral influences their various properties, the types of structural lattices and how and why they exist, and we even learned how to to interpret data from an electron microprobe. We finished the course with a brief introduction to optical mineralogy, using a petrographic microscope to examine samples under a variety of conditions.
Reflection
While initially intimidated by the content of this course, I've found that it was actually one of my favorites this semester. Up until this point, my knowledge of geology mostly related to broad topics, like geologic time and plate tectonics. This shift from studying concepts that seem larger than life, to focusing on something as small as the individual atoms of a mineral was a refreshing change of pace.
While I'm still not sure what my future career in geology will entail, I know that the concepts I've learned in this course will prove to be a strong foundation of my knowledge. This course has given me a deeper understanding of Geology as a whole, and I've now begun to appreciate the beautiful complexity of our planet's rocks and minerals.