Georesources

The course aims at providing a basic knowledge of the most common mineral commodities (georesources), their availability in nature, the most common mining methods, and the Italian mining law. Some case studies about the use of raw materials to produce ceramic materials will be introduced, along with the principal transformation processes. The petroleum geology module aims at providing an understanding of the genesys of hydrocarbons, their migration and accumulation in the subsurface and familiarize students with the current methods and technologies used for their exploration and evaluation.

Knowledge and understanding : Students should demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the subject matters and, with the support of advanced textbooks, reach a level of proficiency ncluding leading edge aspects of this field. By the end of this course, students are expected to master the essentials of: 1) the genesys and morphology of ore and raw materials deposits, including petroleum; 2) the main commodities and hydrocarbon types, their use and the relevant industrial transformation processing; 3) the most common exploration, mining and production methods; 4) mine planning; 5) the principal analytical techniques presently in use (SEM-EDS, XRF, XRD, gas-chromatography).
Making judgements: Students should develop the ability to gather and interpret data to make independent judgements, being also aware of the relevant economic, social, scientific or ethical consequences;
Communication skills: Students are expected to learn how to communicate information, ideas, raise problems and propose solutions to both specialist and non-specialist audiences;
Learning skills: Students should develop the necessary learning skills for them to undertake further studies with a high degree of autonomy.