Entry requirements

Participation in Chemical Principles I/Basic Chemistry, 10 credits, or The Basic Principles of Chemistry, 15 credits.

Learning outcomes

On completion of the course, the student should be able to:

• relate important elements to their occurrence in the Earth?s crust and their use in society
• account for the principles for extraction of elements from various minerals
• identify and describe symmetry properties in crystals and minerals
• account for simple weathering processes in aqueous conditions
• interpret simple redox and phase diagrams and draw conclusions with relevance to extraction of elements and geochemical phenomena
• account for and discuss alternative methods of phase analysis

Content

Overview of the origin of the elements, their occurrence and the forms in which they exist in the Earth's crust. Chemical bonding and Goldschmidt classification. Principles for extraction of elements belonging to different groups in the period table and examples of production processes involving redox reactions applied to various compounds. Illustrations of acid and basic oxides. Relationship between thermodynamics and electrochemistry. Redox diagrams and Ellingham diagrams Phase diagrams and heterogeneous equilibria. Overview of organic material in sediment and geobacteria. Training in compiling information within the field of geochemistry as well as giving accounts of this information both orally and in writing.

Laboratory work: Crystal geometry, Raman spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction of unknown rocks/minerals. Ion exchange i clays.

Instruction

Lectures, seminars and laboratory practicals.

Assessment

Written exam at the end of the course (3 credits), laboratory practicals (2 credits).

If there are special reasons for doing so, an examiner may make an exception from the method of assessment indicated and allow a student to be assessed by another method. An example of special reasons might be a certificate regarding special pedagogical support from the disability coordinator of the university.