The topics that are in the syllabus of GS 558 Electron Probe Microanalysis and Mineral Chemistry in M.Sc. (Applied Geology) offered by IIT Bombay are as follows:

Electron beam–specimen interactions and interaction volume

Generation of X-rays

Continuous and characteristic X-rays

Mosley’s law, Beer’s law and absorption edges

Wavelength dispersive spectrometry

X-ray diffraction and Bragg’s law

Measuring X-rays: gas proportional counter

X-ray peak shape and position.

Selection of diffracting crystals, acceleration voltage and beam energy

Overlap corrections

Matrix (ZAF) corrections

Counting statistics and analytical uncertainty

Energy dispersive spectrometry

EPMA data processing and geological applications

Crystal chemistry of rock-forming minerals including silicates, oxides and phosphates

Mineralogy rare earth elements, Nb and Ta

U–Th–total Pb dating of monazite

Stoichiometric formula calculation

Multivariant reactions and activity models for phases of petrologic importance

Geothermometry and Geobarometry

Texts/References

Reed, S. J. B. Electron Probe Analysis and Scanning Electron Microscopy in Geology, Cambridge, 2010.

Goldstein, J. I., Newbury, D. E., Echlin, P., Joy, D. C., Lyman, C. E., Lifshin, E., Sawer, L. and Michael, J. R. Scanning Electron Microscopy and X-ray Microanalysis, Springer, 2003.

Kohn, M., Rakovan, J. and Hughes, J. M. (Eds.) Phosphates: Geochemical, Geobiological and Materials Importance, Reviews in Mineralogy & Geochemistry, v. 48, Mineralogical Society of America, 2002.

Spear, F.S. Metamorphic Phase Equilibria and Pressure–Temperature–Time Paths, Mineralogical Society of America, 1993.

Deer, W.A., Howie, R.A. and Zussman, J. An Introduction to the Rock-Forming Minerals, Longman Scientific & Technical, 1992.