Processes discussed include those associated with weathering, streams, glaciers, ground ice, ground water, wind, oceans, tectonism, and volcanism. An introduction to the geology of mineral and energy resources. Focus will be on the geological processes that form these deposits. Economic considerations involved in the development and exploitation of these deposits as well as the environmental concerns associated with the extraction of these deposits will also be addressed. Fall semester, odd years.
Emphasis is on the common rock forming minerals.
Two 2-hour laboratories per week. An introduction to the study of sediments and stratigraphy. Topics include sediment sources, weathering, erosion, transportation, and deposition. The course will also include a thorough look at global depositional environments. Traditional concepts of lithostratigraphy, biostratigraphy, aqueous geochemistry, diagenesis, and radiometric dating will be studied, as well as the newer fields of basin analysis and sequence stratigraphy.