Asbestos: Mineralogy, Health Hazards, and Public Policy
Summary
In this laboratory exercise students will have an opportunity to examine the crystal structures, optical properties and health hazards of the common asbestos minerals. The laboratory will reinforce optical microscopic skills that students have learned in mineralogy and show them how mineralogy can be critical to understanding a current public policy issue.
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Context
Audience
This activity is designed for an undergraduate required course in mineralogy and is adaptable for undergraduate and graduate level geology students.
Skills and concepts that students must have mastered
Students should have a basic understanding of mineralogy and crystallography. An understanding of optical properties and techniques to analyze crystals would also be useful for this activity.
How the activity is situated in the course
This activity is a stand-alone exercise, but is part of a larger volume of classroom and laboratory activities from "Teaching Mineralogy," a workbook published by the Mineralogical Society of America, Brady, J., Mogk, D. W., and Perkins, D., (editors), 1997,406 pp.
Goals
Content/concepts goals for this activity
The laboratory will reinforce optical microscopic skills that students have learned in mineralogy and show them how mineralogy can be critical to understanding a current public policy issue.
Higher order thinking skills goals for this activity
Other skills goals for this activity
This activity should strengthen students' writing skills.
Description of the activity/assignment
In this laboratory exercise students will have an opportunity to examine the crystal structures, optical properties and health hazards of the common asbestos minerals. The laboratory will reinforce optical microscopic skills that students have learned in mineralogy and show them how mineralogy can be critical to understanding a current public policy issue.
Determining whether students have met the goals
Students have met the goals of this activity if they completely and accurately answer the questions and complete the tasks embedded in this activity.
More information about assessment tools and techniques.Teaching materials and tips
Other Materials
- Assignment description, hand outs, and instructor's notes. (Microsoft Word 1.5MB Oct6 08)
- Assignment description, hand outs, and instructor's notes. (Acrobat (PDF) 73kB May9 08)
Supporting references/URLs
Brady, J., Mogk, D. W., and Perkins, D., (editors), 1997, Teaching Mineralogy, a workbook published by the Mineralogical Society of America, 406 pp.
Mineralogical Society of America - Join today!
A further list of resources is included in the associated downloaded document for this activity.
Mineralogical Society of America - Join today!
A further list of resources is included in the associated downloaded document for this activity.