Program Requirements
Required Courses (9 credits)
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EPSC 201 Understanding Planet Earth (3 credits)
Overview
Earth & Planetary Sciences : Learn about Earth's origin, its place in the solar system, its internal structure, rocks and minerals, the formation of metal and fossil fuel deposits, and the extinction of dinosaurs. Discover the impact of the volcanic eruptions, earthquakes and mountain chains on Earth's past, present and future. Explore 125 million-year-old Mount Royal.
Terms: Fall 2015, Winter 2016
Instructors: Jensen, Olivia (Fall) Gomez, Natalya (Winter)
Fall or Winter
3 hours lectures; afternoon field trips
Restriction: Not open to students who have taken or are taking EPSC 233.
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EPSC 210 Introductory Mineralogy (3 credits)
Overview
Earth & Planetary Sciences : Elementary crystallography, chemistry and identification of the principal rock-forming and ore minerals, in hand specimens and using optical microscopy. Demonstrations of other techniques applied to the identification of minerals and to the analysis of their composition and structure. Optional 2-day field trip.
Terms: Fall 2015
Instructors: Paquette, Jeanne (Fall)
Fall
2 hours lectures, 3 hours laboratory
A nominal fee is charged to cover expenses of materials and supplies for identification kits (pen magnet, streak plate, hand lens and acid bottle) used to identify minerals during laboratory exercises.
Des frais seront prelev茅s pour couvrir l'usage des collections d'enseignement et les accessoires (loupe, aimant, bouteille d'acide chlorhydrique dilu茅, plaque de porcelaine) essentiels 脿 l'identification des min茅raux pendant les travaux pratiques.
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EPSC 212 Introductory Petrology (3 credits)
Overview
Earth & Planetary Sciences : A survey of igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rocks and the processes responsible for their formation. The laboratory will emphasize the recognition of rocks in both hand-specimen and thin section using optical microscopes.
Terms: Winter 2016
Instructors: Berlo, Kim (Winter)
Winter
2 hours lectures, 3 hours laboratory
Prerequisite: EPSC 210
Complementary Courses (9 credits)
9 credits selected from:
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EPSC 220 Principles of Geochemistry (3 credits)
Overview
Earth & Planetary Sciences : Basic concepts in geochemistry and the application of geochemical principles of chemistry to geological subdisciplines. Particular emphasis on origin of elements, controls on their distribution in Earth and cosmos, isotopes, organic geochemistry and water chemistry. Application of phase diagrams to geology.
Terms: Fall 2015
Instructors: Baker, Don (Fall)
Fall
2 hours lecture, 3 hours laboratory
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EPSC 501 Crystal Chemistry (3 credits)
Overview
Earth & Planetary Sciences : Discussion of crystal structures and compositions of important mineral groups, especially oxides, sulphides and silicates. Solid solution. Relation of structure to morphology and to chemical and physical properties of the rock-forming minerals.
Terms: Winter 2016
Instructors: Paquette, Jeanne (Winter)
Winter
2 hours lectures, 1 hour seminar
Prerequisite(s): EPSC 210 (or equivalent) and at least one 300- or higher-level course in petrology, or permission of the instructor.
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EPSC 519 Isotope Geology (3 credits)
Overview
Earth & Planetary Sciences : Geochronology, the fractionation of the stable isotopes, and applications to petrology and mineral deposits.
Terms: Fall 2015
Instructors: Wing, Boswell (Fall)
Fall
3 hours lectures
Prerequisites: equivalent of the U2 core program.
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EPSC 542 Chemical Oceanography (3 credits)
Overview
Earth & Planetary Sciences : History of chemical oceanography. Seawater composition and definition of salinity/chlorinity. Minor and trace-element distribution in the ocean. Geochemical mass balance. Dissolved gases in sea water. CO2 and the carbonate system. Chemical speciation. Physical chemistry of seawater. Organic matter and the carbon cycle in the marine environment. Sediment geochemistry.
Terms: Fall 2015
Instructors: Mucci, Alfonso (Fall)
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EPSC 561 Ore-forming Processes (3 credits)
Overview
Earth & Planetary Sciences : Physicochemical controls of hydrothermal mineral deposition. Discussion of fluid inclusion theory and application; stable isotope systematics, wall-rock alteration; ore mineral solubility and speciation; and mechanisms of mineral deposition.
Terms: Winter 2016
Instructors: van Hinsberg, Vincent Johan (Winter)
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EPSC 570 Cosmochemistry (3 credits)
Overview
Earth & Planetary Sciences : Examines the implications of phase equilibria and the compositions of meteorites and the solar system for the formation and internal differentiation of the terrestrial planets and the nature of chemical fractionation processes in both planetary interiors and the solar system as a whole.
Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2015-2016 academic year.
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2015-2016 academic year.
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EPSC 590 Applied Geochemistry Seminar (3 credits)
Overview
Earth & Planetary Sciences : Seminar course devoted to field case studies that illustrate the applications of geochemical principles to solving geologic problems. Each student will prepare and lead a class devoted to a geochemical subject of their own choosing.
Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2015-2016 academic year.
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2015-2016 academic year.
Winter
3 hours seminar
Prerequisite: permission of instructor