Module Information
Course Delivery
| Delivery Type | Delivery length / details |
|---|---|
| Lecture | 11 x 4 Hour Lectures |
Assessment
| Assessment Type | Assessment length / details | Proportion |
|---|---|---|
| Semester Assessment | 15 min oral presentation on the geochemical behaviour of an element | 5% |
| Semester Assessment | 2000 word Report on the geochemistry of an element | 20% |
| Semester Assessment | Continuous assessment of 8 laboratory practical exercises | 75% |
| Supplementary Assessment | Presentation marks to be carried forward. Resubmit elements of coursework. | 100% |
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module students should be able to:
Demonstrate an understanding of the factors which control the distribution of elements in the primary and secondary environments
Derive from first principles information concerning the solubility, stability and behaviour of elements in the secondary environment
Identify, retrieve and interpret information on the geochemistry of a particular element
Summarise and present relevant geochemical information to an audience
Make rational, scientific judgements on the validity and application of particular numerical methods to solving a range of geocehmical problems
Brief description
A Masters level module which provides an introduction to the processes which distribute elements within the primary environment (i.e. within the bulk Earth) including the primary processes of melting and fractional crystallisation to cause variations in chemistry of custral rocks. Once these primary porcesses have been considered the course moves on to consider the behavious of elements in the secondary environment, particularly aqueous geochemistry and the chemical, physical and thermodynamic controls which govern element behaviour in the surface environment.
Content
- Bulk earth chemical composition
- Geochemical conventions and the structural controls on element distribution
- Crystallisation and melting - major and trace element behaviour
- Radioactivity and radiometric age determination
- Environmental and exploration geochemical data sets - backgrounds and thresholds
- Geochemistry of solutions 1
- Geochemistry of solutions 2
- Applied thermodynamics
Module Skills
| Skills Type | Skills details |
|---|---|
| Application of Number | Numerical exercises are incorporated into most practical exercises, including modeling of geochemical data, solution geochemistry and thermodynamic calculations. |
| Communication | Oral presentation on geochemistry of an element |
| Improving own Learning and Performance | Developed independent work associated with practical classes |
| Information Technology | Use of computers and spreadsheets for performing/plotting geochemical data. Students will have to search the internet for information on the geochemistry of an element, as a backup to literature sources. The information will be included in the final report on the geochemistry of a particular element. An element of the assessment will be assigned to the appropriate use of information gained from searches. |
| Personal Development and Career planning | Discussion with staff involved concerning relevance of examples to real life applications, and relevance to careers. |
| Problem solving | Yes, numerical problems involved in practical exercises |
| Research skills | Yes, researching and applying methods for presentation and interpretation of geochemical data. Researching the geochemical behaviour of one particular element. |
| Subject Specific Skills | Applications to a range of numerical modeling methods for the interpretation of both solid Earth and aqueous data, including fractional crystallisation and melting, solution geochemistry (solubility, saturation) and thermodynamics. |
Notes
This module is at CQFW Level 7