The EU, which contains a theoretical and a practical part, aims at describing the elementary processes leading to the formation of magmatic and metamorphic minerals and rocks. The theoretical course is divided into two parts. The first part deals with the theoretical notions related to the use of the transmission optical microscope, an essential tool for the geologist. The second part describes the main geological processes leading to the formation of magmatic and metamorphic rocks.
Students are able to (re)understand a magmatic and metamorphic rock, to describe it rigorously and to identify i) the P-T conditions of its formation and ii) its geodynamic environment.
The theoretical course includes successively i) theoretical petrology (including phase diagrams, magmatic series and norm calculation), ii) description of the different plutonic and volcanic rocks, iii) types of magmatic rocks and iv) description of metamorphic rocks. The practical course consists of 36 hours of practical work and a one-day field trip.
The assessment consists of two parts: a theoretical and a practical examination.