Major in Mineralogy and Geochemistry
The Major in Mineralogy and Geochemistry specialises on topics related to geochemistry, volcanology, and petrology.
Specific learning goals are:
- To gain detailed knowledge of various analytical methods to characterise Earth or planetary materials
- To understand the behaviour (e.g. partitioning, transport, volatility) of elements within the Earth, or more generally, planetary reservoirs
- To use abundances of elements to characterise processes on a micro to macro scale.
The major provides a multi-disciplinary approach with field work, state of the art analytical methods, lab experiments, and numerical simulation.
Modules and courses
Different modules and courses allow for a high degree of individualisation.
The module Analytical Methods in Earth Sciences is the mandatory module of the major in Mineralogy and Geochemistry. Students are furthermore obliged to select two out of the four modules within the major:
- Mineralogy and Petrology
- Petrology and Volcanology
- Mineral Resources
- Geochemistry
A fourth module can be chosen from the all modules of the Master's degree programme in Earth Sciences.
Master's thesis
The Master‘s thesis is a project on a research topic, which allows you to apply and deepen your knowledge in a specific area like:
- Volcanology, petrology or mineral resources, typically combining field work, petrography, and analytical lab work
- Cosmochemistry and isotope geochemistry, usually involving lab work on terrestrial or extraterrestrial samples
- Experimental work in petrology or mineral physics with implications for terrestrial or planetary processes
Topics of recent Master's theses
“Can lava chemistry help to predict the next Yellowstone supereruption?” – Tracing magma evolution through time with whole-rock and mineral compositions
“What is the origin of Indonesian diamonds?” – Using sediment analysis and the morphology of diamonds to track the breakup of Gondwana
“How can we characterise extraterrestrial material without destroying it?” – Computed tomography as a non-destructive tool for the analysis of chondrules; an application for Ti isotope data
