This module aims to:
• Introduce and consolidate understanding of rock-forming minerals, and other key critical raw materials and their properties;
• Examine environments of formation, occurrence, abundance of key minerals including minerals in various igneous and metamorphic rocks;
• Explore Earth materials uses and importance, especially in the context of critical raw materials that are vital to technology for sustainable and renewable energy resources and various societal infrastructure;
• Train students in key practical skills, especially hand specimen description and identification and use of petrological and zoom stereo microscopes for mineral description, identification and interpretations

(LO1) Use basic laboratory equipment to plan and complete an experiment to collect and analyse high quality Earth-material data

(LO2) Describe, classify and interpret minerals, rocks and critical raw materials

(LO3) Understand and interpret environments of formation of minerals, rocks and critical raw materials to infer geological conditions and processes.

(LO4) Develop understanding of: 1) the economic uses of minerals and other Earth materials, 2) how rare or abundant such materials are, 3) what negative consequences may be associated with the economic use of materials and 4) what action may be taken to develop new materials uses and contribute to addressing energy and environmental challenges

(S1) Improving own learning/performance - Personal action planning

(S2) Communication (oral, written and visual) - Following instructions/protocols/procedures

(S3) Critical thinking and problem solving - Problem identification

(S4) Numeracy/computational skills - Problem solving

Minerals physical and chemical properties;
Crystallography;
Mineral optical properties in plane- and cross-polarised light and in reflected light observations;
Classification of minerals; main silicate and non-silicate mineral groups; classification of raw materials critical to the energy transition and relevant to resolving environmental and health challenges, including rare-earth elements and related metals and minerals, and anthropogenic materials from, for example, the mining, construction, incineration and steel production industries;
Mineral and other Earth materials occurrence and environments;
Classification of igneous and metamorphic rocks
Common rock textures;
Economic mineral and Earth material resources.
Practical sessions provide students with the ability and skills to:
Study rocks, minerals and other Earth materials in hand specimens using the hand lens and other tools;
Study material properties and associated textural relationsh ips using: 1) the optical polarising microscope to view rock thin-sections, and record systematic observations using transmitted and reflected light; 2) the zoom stereo microscope to view 3D specimens and record systematic observations of their properties in 3D.
Understand Earth material properties, occurrence, environments and their use through application of problem-solving skills;

Teaching Method 1 – Lectures, in-person and also online if required. Two 1-hour lectures per week for 10 weeks.
Description: Presentation and discussion of key theoretical models, chemical and physical principles related to mineralogy and basic petrology as well as to materials science. Online lectures delivered real time or recorded and followed by real-time discussion and Q&A sessions
Attendance Recorded: Yes
Teaching Method 2 – laboratory practical work. One 2-hour practical per week for 10 weeks.
Description: Practicing microscope and hand specimen skills, working with minerals, rocks and other Earth materials critical to the energy transition and to the environment; problem solving exercises.
Attendance Recorded: Yes
Teaching Method 3 – Formative feedback. 1-hour optional session per week for 10 weeks.
Description: Staff answer any questions and give formative feedback on the work that is done during practicals.
Attendan ce Recorded: No