Educational Links

This page provides a variety of educational materials related to geology and mineralogy.

The following are photo albums of different rock types with labels and geological information about them.

Igneous Rocks – rock formed through the solidification of magma or lava.  Igneous rock may form with or without crystallization, either below the surface as intrusive (plutonic) rock or on the surface as extrusive (volcanic) rocks.

Sedimentary Rocks – rock that is formed by deposition of material at the surface and within bodies of water.

Metamorphic Rocks – rock that is formed via metamorphism. The original rock (protolith) is subject to heat and pressure causing chemical & physical changes.

The following are links to HD videos developed for a Physical Geology class at Arizona State University.

1) The Physical Properties of Minerals – Hardness
2) Calcite’s Reaction to Hydrochloric Acid

3) Double Refraction in Calcite
4) Cleavage in Gypsum & Mica
5) Calcite Cleavage
6) Ventifacts
7) Quartz Scepters from Date Creek, Arizona

The following are links to powerpoint presentations which may be of interest.
These are available in flash (with voiceover) or in pdf format.
Files are large and take some time to load, please be patient.

1) Basic Introduction to the Physical Properties of Minerals (flash)(pdf)

2) Simple Mineral Identification Key that includes 30 Common Minerals  (flash)(pdf)

3) How Minerals are Identified Using Physical Properties (flash)(pdf)
includes a 12 mineral identification test at the end.

4) Introduction to Igneous Rocks (flash)(pdf)
explaining how they are formed with images.

5) Introduction to Sedimentary Rocks (flash)(pdf)
explaining how they are formed with images.

6) Introduction to Metamorphic Rocks (flash)(pdf)
explaining how they are formed with images.

7) Introduction to Reading and Using Topographic Maps
Part 1
(flash)(pdf)    Part 2 (flash)(pdf)

above resources courtesy of Stan Celestian

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