91560 - APPLIED PETROLOGY

Anno Accademico 2019/2020

  • Docente: Roberto Braga
  • Crediti formativi: 8
  • SSD: GEO/07
  • Lingua di insegnamento: Italiano
  • Moduli: Roberto Braga (Modulo 1) Deborah Lo Pò (Modulo 2)
  • Modalità didattica: Convenzionale - Lezioni in presenza (Modulo 1) Convenzionale - Lezioni in presenza (Modulo 2)
  • Campus: Bologna
  • Corso: Laurea Magistrale in Geologia e territorio (cod. 9073)

Conoscenze e abilità da conseguire

This course covers the quantitative methods used to infer the evolution of igneous and metamorphic rocks from their mineral assemblages and textures. Students will learn a variety of approaches, from field study to thermodynamic calculations, all of which help to draw conclusions on multi-scale observations of real rocks. Applied petrology includes the understanding of how predictive models for rocks under different pressures, temperatures and fluid compositions are carried out, with a special emphasis on raw materials in general. This unit comprises the study of published work showing the application of petrological methods to ore geology. Knowing basic petrologic concepts and how to perform a microstructural study on thin sections using optical and electronic microscopies are a prerequisite.

Contenuti

1. COURSE OUTLINE

  • Introduction of the course and its philosophy;
  • Outline of the contents and the assessment methods
  • Practical information

2. A ROCK REFRESHER

  • Description and interpretation of igneous and metamorphic rocks in hand-specimen and thin-section.
  • Processes in magma formation, transport, emplacement, and mechanisms of magmatic differentiation.
  • Magma genesis in relation to tectonic setting.
  • Influence of rock chemistry, temperature and pressure on metamorphic mineral assemblages. The metamorphic facies.
  • Chemical equilibrium and metamorphic reactions.
  • Fluids, migmatites and partial melting.
  • Tectonic setting of metamorphism.

3. HOST ROCKS IN THE FIELD

  • Field description of igneous and metamorphic rocks as host of ore deposits
  • A one-day excursion focusing on reconnaissance geology of Northern Apennines ophiolites with variable degrees of hydrothermal alteration.
  • Two/three-day field camp on crystalline basements in the Alps or Northern Apennines (depending on weather conditions). Lithology of host rocks of ore deposits .

4. INVERSE AND FORWARD PETROGENETIC MODELLING

  • Phase equilibria modelling: an introduction. Practical strategies to build isochemical P-T, T-X and P-X phase diagrams in model systems.
  • Use of isochemical phase diagrams to determine P-T of formation (inverse modelling)
  • Prediction of metamorphic mineral assemblage as a function of rock chemistry, pressure, temperature and fluids (forward modelling)
  • Production and consumption of metamorphic fluids


 

Testi/Bibliografia

(numbers refer to the course sessions described above)

1.

Jébrak M., Montel J-M. (2017) Educating the Resource Geologist of the Future: Between Observation and Imagination. Elements, 13, 331-336.

2.

Selected chapters from Klein C, Philpotts A.R. (2017) Earth materials. Cambridge; Cambridge University Press.

3.

Fry N. (2013) The field description of metamorphic rocks. Chichester; Wiley

Jerram D., Petford N. (2011) The field description of igneous rocks (2nd ed.). Chichester; Wiley.

4.

Powell R., Holland T. (2010) Using Equilibrium Thermodynamics to understand metamorphism and metamorphic rocks. Elements, 6, 309-314.

Yakymchuck C. (2017) Applying phase equilibria modelling to metamorphic and geological processes: recent developments and future potential. Geosciences Canada, 44, 27-45.

Metodi didattici

  • Lab work on (1) rock collections and (2) thin sections under a polarizing scope.
  • Written report and/or poster presentation. Team work is encouraged.

  • Calculating an isochemical phase diagram usingopen-access software


Modalità di verifica e valutazione dell'apprendimento

Different assessment methods will be used to evaluate the students:

  • content-based
  • competence-based and
  • impact-based assessments.

Content-based assessment refers to assessment tasks that mainly ask the learner about facts. Competence-based assessment refers to assessment of intended learning outcomes that ask the learner to show ability to also use these facts. Impact-based assessments take the assessment of competencies one step further and ask the learner to use these competencies in a real-life situation to create a change or solve a challenge.

The grades in the Italian university system are expressed out of thirty. The passing grade is 18/30. In case of full grade (30/30) the Professor(s) may also decide to award honours (lode).

Here below the breakdown of the final grade

10% Class participation

40% Field work output - Written report and/or poster presentation

50% Final exam - Written test (duration: 2h) with multiple-choice answers and open-ended questions on the course topics.

Strumenti a supporto della didattica

  • Lecture rooms equipped with audiovisual resources
  • Study rooms with wireless internet (Almawifi; Eduroam)
  • Rock and thin section collections
  • Laboratory equipped with polarizing microscopes (transmitted light) and audiovisual resources
  • Free entrance to the Collezione di Mineralogia "Museo Luigi Bombicci"

Orario di ricevimento

Consulta il sito web di Roberto Braga

Consulta il sito web di Deborah Lo Pò

SDGs

Istruzione di qualità Energia pulita e accessibile Città e comunità sostenibili

L'insegnamento contribuisce al perseguimento degli Obiettivi di Sviluppo Sostenibile dell'Agenda 2030 dell'ONU.