Mineralogy field trip 2011!!

Dr. Bob’s mineralogy class spent the weekend visiting the geology along  the Blue Ridge Parkway of North Carolina.  Students studied  minerals and rocks from Late Proterozoic rifts along with minerals that contributed to recent slope failures along the Parkway.   Ahead of the pending storms off the coast, their inland trip kept them in the upper 30s on Saturday night around the campfire with a variety of experiences being shared by everyone.  Students will use samples collected on the field trip to complete a mini-research project using  scanning electron microscopy, reflectance spectroradiometry, or polarizing microscopy while interpreting the role of minerals in a larger geologic context.