This exercise is designed for a mid/upper-level undergraduate geology course on the principles of mineralogy.

Students should have knowledge of basic chemistry and of minerals equivalent to what they would learn in an introductory geology class.

This activity is the 31st of 36 mineralogy exercises and is used towards the end of the course.

• Apply practical X-ray diffraction.
• Use X-ray data to identify minerals and determine unit cell parameters.

• Learn how experimental data can be used to identify unknown samples and derive fundamental physical values.

In this exercise, students use X-ray analysis to identify unknown minerals. They are given two samples to grind up and X-ray, using Jade to identify them. Once the minerals are identified, students make a spreadsheet and do a series of calculations.

Students turn in their X-ray scans, spreadsheet, and a report.

• Mineralogy Course Summary and Goals
• Mineralogy Course Syllabus