Describes the characteristics of rare earth elements. Details the physical chemistry of rare earths. Reviews the history of rare earth chemistry and mineralogy. Discusses the mineralogy and crystallography of the formation of rare earth laden minerals found in the earth's crust. Characterizes the geologic history of rare earth elements. (CW)

Describes an approach that uses the learning cycle to meaningfully teach students about mineral properties while alleviating the tedious nature of identifying mineral specimens. Discusses mineral properties, cooperative learning, and mineral identification. (JRH)

Describes an analytical chemistry unit in the second year of the chemistry degree course at Curtin University that was designed to reflect the numerous employment opportunities for chemistry graduates in the mineral processing industries and private analytical laboratories. Presents the lecture syllabus, the laboratory course description, and…

Reviews changing concepts of the origins, properties, and classification of minerals. Emphasis is placed on developments of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, during which time the interwoven advances of chemistry, physics, crystallography, and high-temperature, high-pressure studies transformed mineralogy from a qualitative to a…

Information is provided about the origin, the features, and the availability of tektites which are odd and very rare types of transparent glass theorized to be from a common, yet unknown, origin. The basis for this article is the Howard collection of tektites found in a small region of central Georgia. (seven references) (JJK)

Points out the importance and use of Earth's rock and mineral resources in our daily lives. Lists websites on mineral resources. (YDS)

While rocks and minerals are often regarded as among the most static and solid objects, the body of knowledge of which they are part is always changing. This teachers guide contains activities and experiments designed to enhance students understanding of geology and petrology. By examining actual specimens of the Earth's crust, students learn…

Presented is an interpretation of the inward and outward growth and formation of plume textured geodes available from southern Brazil. Field occurrence, morphology of vesicles, growth history, closure of the agate shell, microscopic features, coherent reflection of light from convoluted surfaces, and accessory minerals of the inner cavity are…

Describes a technique for making reflectance measurements of opaque minerals in polished thin sections. Provides a calibration procedure, reflectance values for common opaque minerals, and a graph showing an example calibration curve of minimum shutter speed of opaque minerals versus published reflectance data. (RT)

Describes a computer program which represents the first merger of an expert system and imaging technology into a tool to assist in learning mineral identification. Presents a discussion of the system's development, evaluation of effectiveness, and future modifications. (RT)

This activity guide, developed to provide environmental education through a series of hands-on activities geared to Medoc Mountain State Park in North Carolina, is targeted for grades 4, 5, and 6 and meets curriculum objectives of the standard course of study established by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. Three types of…

Discusses MAX, an interactive computer program for teaching identification of clay minerals based on standard x-ray diffraction characteristics. The program provides tutorial-type exercises for identification of 16 clay standards, self-evaluation exercises, diffractograms of 28 soil clay minerals, and identification of nonclay minerals. (MDH)

Presents an activity in which students are assigned occupations that rely on specific minerals. To obtain the needed minerals, students learn how to trade services and commodities. Includes details on preparation, modeling behaviors, and printed materials. (DDR)

Presented are interdisciplinary activities that help students to identify minerals and to begin to understand the properties that make each one unique. The concept of individuality is emphasized. Included is a section on minerals and an explanation of their physical characteristics. (KR)