Mineralogy and Petrology

  1. Sedimentary Petrology
    1. Formation of Sedimentary Rocks
      1. Weathering
        1. Physical Weathering
          1. Frost Action
            1. Thermal Expansion
              1. Abrasion
                1. Salt Crystal Growth
                  1. Biological Activity
                  2. Chemical Weathering
                    1. Hydrolysis
                      1. Oxidation
                        1. Carbonation
                          1. Solution
                            1. Hydration
                              1. Biological Processes
                              2. Factors Controlling Weathering
                                1. Climate
                                  1. Rock Type
                                    1. Topography
                                      1. Time
                                    2. Erosion and Transport
                                      1. Agents of Transport
                                        1. Water
                                          1. Stream Transport
                                            1. Wave Action
                                              1. Groundwater Movement
                                              2. Wind
                                                1. Aeolian Processes
                                                  1. Dust Transport
                                                    1. Sand Movement
                                                    2. Ice
                                                      1. Glacial Transport
                                                        1. Ice Rafting
                                                        2. Gravity
                                                          1. Mass Wasting
                                                            1. Debris Flows
                                                          2. Modes of Transport
                                                            1. Suspension
                                                              1. Saltation
                                                                1. Traction
                                                                  1. Solution
                                                                  2. Transport Effects
                                                                    1. Sorting
                                                                      1. Rounding
                                                                        1. Size Reduction
                                                                      2. Deposition
                                                                        1. Environments of Deposition
                                                                          1. Continental Environments
                                                                            1. Alluvial Fans
                                                                              1. River Systems
                                                                                1. Lakes
                                                                                  1. Deserts
                                                                                    1. Glacial Environments
                                                                                    2. Transitional Environments
                                                                                      1. Deltas
                                                                                        1. Beaches
                                                                                          1. Tidal Flats
                                                                                            1. Lagoons
                                                                                            2. Marine Environments
                                                                                              1. Continental Shelf
                                                                                                1. Continental Slope
                                                                                                  1. Abyssal Plains
                                                                                                    1. Reefs
                                                                                                  2. Depositional Processes
                                                                                                    1. Settling Velocity
                                                                                                      1. Current Strength
                                                                                                        1. Chemical Precipitation
                                                                                                          1. Biological Accumulation
                                                                                                        2. Diagenesis and Lithification
                                                                                                          1. Compaction
                                                                                                            1. Mechanical Compaction
                                                                                                              1. Chemical Compaction
                                                                                                                1. Porosity Reduction
                                                                                                                2. Cementation
                                                                                                                  1. Cement Types
                                                                                                                    1. Silica Cement
                                                                                                                      1. Carbonate Cement
                                                                                                                        1. Iron Oxide Cement
                                                                                                                          1. Clay Cement
                                                                                                                          2. Precipitation Mechanisms
                                                                                                                            1. Timing of Cementation
                                                                                                                            2. Recrystallization
                                                                                                                              1. Neomorphism
                                                                                                                                1. Grain Growth
                                                                                                                                  1. Mineralogical Changes
                                                                                                                                  2. Replacement
                                                                                                                                    1. Pseudomorphs
                                                                                                                                      1. Metasomatism
                                                                                                                                        1. Authigenic Minerals
                                                                                                                                    2. Sedimentary Textures
                                                                                                                                      1. Grain Size
                                                                                                                                        1. Classification Schemes
                                                                                                                                          1. Wentworth Scale
                                                                                                                                            1. Phi Scale
                                                                                                                                              1. Metric Measurements
                                                                                                                                              2. Size Distribution
                                                                                                                                                1. Unimodal Distributions
                                                                                                                                                  1. Bimodal Distributions
                                                                                                                                                    1. Polymodal Distributions
                                                                                                                                                  2. Sorting
                                                                                                                                                    1. Well-sorted Sediments
                                                                                                                                                      1. Uniform Grain Size
                                                                                                                                                        1. Single Transport Agent
                                                                                                                                                        2. Poorly Sorted Sediments
                                                                                                                                                          1. Wide Size Range
                                                                                                                                                            1. Multiple Processes
                                                                                                                                                            2. Sorting Indices
                                                                                                                                                              1. Standard Deviation
                                                                                                                                                                1. Graphic Measures
                                                                                                                                                              2. Roundness and Sphericity
                                                                                                                                                                1. Roundness
                                                                                                                                                                  1. Angular
                                                                                                                                                                    1. Subangular
                                                                                                                                                                      1. Subrounded
                                                                                                                                                                        1. Rounded
                                                                                                                                                                          1. Well-rounded
                                                                                                                                                                          2. Sphericity
                                                                                                                                                                            1. High Sphericity
                                                                                                                                                                              1. Low Sphericity
                                                                                                                                                                                1. Measurement Techniques
                                                                                                                                                                              2. Fabric
                                                                                                                                                                                1. Packing
                                                                                                                                                                                  1. Grain Contacts
                                                                                                                                                                                    1. Packing Density
                                                                                                                                                                                      1. Porosity Relationships
                                                                                                                                                                                      2. Orientation
                                                                                                                                                                                        1. Preferred Orientation
                                                                                                                                                                                          1. Imbrication
                                                                                                                                                                                            1. Flow Indicators
                                                                                                                                                                                        2. Sedimentary Structures
                                                                                                                                                                                          1. Primary Structures
                                                                                                                                                                                            1. Bedding and Lamination
                                                                                                                                                                                              1. Parallel Bedding
                                                                                                                                                                                                1. Massive Bedding
                                                                                                                                                                                                  1. Laminated Bedding
                                                                                                                                                                                                    1. Graded Bedding
                                                                                                                                                                                                    2. Cross-bedding
                                                                                                                                                                                                      1. Planar Cross-beds
                                                                                                                                                                                                        1. Trough Cross-beds
                                                                                                                                                                                                          1. Herringbone Cross-beds
                                                                                                                                                                                                            1. Paleocurrent Indicators
                                                                                                                                                                                                            2. Ripple Marks
                                                                                                                                                                                                              1. Current Ripples
                                                                                                                                                                                                                1. Wave Ripples
                                                                                                                                                                                                                  1. Interference Ripples
                                                                                                                                                                                                                  2. Mud Cracks
                                                                                                                                                                                                                    1. Desiccation Features
                                                                                                                                                                                                                      1. Polygonal Patterns
                                                                                                                                                                                                                        1. Paleoenvironmental Indicators
                                                                                                                                                                                                                      2. Biogenic Structures
                                                                                                                                                                                                                        1. Bioturbation Structures
                                                                                                                                                                                                                          1. Burrows
                                                                                                                                                                                                                            1. Tracks and Trails
                                                                                                                                                                                                                              1. Feeding Structures
                                                                                                                                                                                                                              2. Stromatolites
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                1. Microbial Mats
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  1. Layered Structures
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                2. Secondary Structures
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  1. Concretions and Nodules
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    1. Formation Mechanisms
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      1. Compositional Types
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        1. Septarian Structures
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        2. Stylolites
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          1. Pressure Solution
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            1. Irregular Surfaces
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        3. Classification of Sedimentary Rocks
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          1. Clastic Sedimentary Rocks
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            1. Conglomerates
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              1. Rounded Clast Conglomerates
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                1. Polymictic vs. Oligomictic
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  1. Matrix vs. Clast-supported
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  2. Breccias
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    1. Angular Clast Breccias
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      1. Fault Breccias
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        1. Collapse Breccias
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        2. Sandstones
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          1. Quartz Arenites
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            1. Arkoses
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              1. Lithic Arenites
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                1. Graywackes
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                2. Siltstones
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  1. Composition and Texture
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    1. Depositional Environments
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    2. Mudstones
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      1. Clay Mineral Composition
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        1. Laminated vs. Massive
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        2. Shales
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          1. Fissile Character
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            1. Organic Content
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              1. Black Shales
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            2. Chemical Sedimentary Rocks
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              1. Limestones
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                1. Micrite
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  1. Sparite
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    1. Bioclastic Limestones
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      1. Oolitic Limestones
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      2. Dolostones
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        1. Primary Dolomite
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          1. Secondary Dolomitization
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            1. Replacement Textures
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            2. Evaporites
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              1. Halite
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                1. Rock Salt Formation
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  1. Depositional Environments
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  2. Gypsum
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    1. Selenite Crystals
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      1. Alabaster Varieties
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      2. Anhydrite
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        1. Burial Transformation
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        2. Potash Minerals
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        3. Cherts
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          1. Bedded Cherts
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            1. Nodular Cherts
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              1. Replacement Cherts
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                1. Biogenic Silica
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              2. Organic Sedimentary Rocks
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                1. Coal
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  1. Peat Formation
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    1. Coalification Process
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      1. Coal Ranks
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        1. Lignite
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          1. Bituminous Coal
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            1. Anthracite
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          2. Oil Shales
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            1. Kerogen Content
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              1. Thermal Maturity
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              2. Phosphorites
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                1. Phosphate Minerals
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  1. Marine Environments

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                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            8. Igneous Petrology

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                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            10. Metamorphic Petrology