This course aims to develop a broad understanding of how the Earth works. Over its >4.5 billion-year long history, the Earth has been shaped by chemical, physical and biological processes. The course shows why decoding the rock record of deep-time events is critical for explaining past, present and future environmental changes and the distribution of natural resources. The Earth has also sustained life in the last >3.5 billion years. Our species, Homo sapiens, is a relatively recent arrival, yet it had the greatest impact on our planet. The course reviews human evolution and how we became the dominant cause of environmental change on our planet. The course also introduces environmental science and examines contemporary linkages between climate, hydrology and critical surface zone processes within the context of human impact. Together they control the state of the environment and determine the resilience, vulnerability and risks for life on Earth.

Course Convener: Prof. Emese M. Bordy

This course introduces students to the Geology major and covers the essentials of the discipline as follows: crystals and minerals; igneous and metamorphic rocks; structural geology; mineral deposits and economic geology; palaeontology; the interpretation of geological maps. A three-day field trip to the Western Cape serves as an introduction to field geology.

Course convener: Dr R. Tostevin

This course covers the fundamentals of physical and chemical mineralogy and its application to igneous and metamorphic rocks as a basis for senior courses in petrology. The course comprises interrelated sections as follows: crystallography and crystal optics (including a brief introduction to X-ray crystallography): mineralogy (the chemical, physical and optical properties of selected groups of rockforming minerals, and the theory and practice of identifying minerals by means of the polarising microscope); phase diagrams (interpretation of simple phase diagrams relevant to igneous and metamorphic rocks); classification and petrography of igneous rocks (physical processes of magma differentiation; the relationship between chemical composition and modal mineralogy); classification and petrography of metamorphic rocks (types of metamorphism, metamorphic textures and mineral assemblages).

Course convener: 

This course builds on the previous mineralogy course and explores the physical structure of the Earth and the physical processes involved in sedimentary rock formation and rock deformation. These include transport and deposition of sediments; sedimentary textures and structure; siliciclastic, carbonate, evaporitic and other sedimentary rocks; earthquakes, stress, displacement and strain; brittle and ductile deformation; interpretation of geological maps and cross sections; introduction to tectonics and global geophysics.

Course convener: Dr. R. A. Sloan

This is a field-based course that introduces techniques used to identify, describe and document rocks in the field and for interpreting their inter-relationships, with the view to producing geological maps, stratigraphic logs and structural sections. Techniques covered include: mineralogical and textural descriptions of rocks using a hand-lens; measurement of attitude of bedding using compass and clinometer; measurement, description and interpretation of depositional and deformational structures; stereo plots, interpretation and use of aerial photographs; identifying contact relationships; GPS positioning. Course material is taught over four separate field camps spread over two years of study.

Course convener: A/Prof J. F. Diener

This course covers key concepts in igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary petrology in combination with structural geology as follows: interpreting major and trace element and isotope variations in igneous rocks; origin and evolution of the major magma series; thermodynamics, kinetics and chemography of metamorphic reactions; tectonic setting of metamorphic terrains; principles of interpretations and classification of continental and marine sedimentary environments; kinematic principles, deformation mechanisms, microstructure, faulting and tectonic geomorphology.

Course convener: A/Prof P. E. Janney

This course covers the development of the oceanic and continental rock record and associated ore deposits as follows: the principles of stratigraphy with examples drawn from the South African rock record; the methods and procedures involved in dating rocks; the genesis of economic mineral deposits, their microscopic textures, and their valuation and exploitation; geophysical techniques.

Course convener: Dr. G. H. Howarth

This course covers the development of the oceanic and continental rock record and associated ore deposits as follows: the principles of stratigraphy with examples drawn from the South African rock record; the methods and procedures involved in dating rocks; the genesis of economic mineral deposits, their microscopic textures, and their valuation and exploitation; geophysical techniques.

Course convener: Dr. Diego Quiros

Introduction to mineralogy; the structure and composition of minerals, how minerals form, their general properties and how this can be exploited in minerals beneficiation. Minerals and element associations and their implications for mining and processing. Identification of minerals in hand specimen, and using a petrographic microscope. Overview of instrumental analytical methods used in geology and mineralogy. Application of different analytical methods to rocks, minerals and minerals beneficiation products

Course convener: Dr PJ Le Roux