GEORESOURCES
- Overview
- Assessment methods
- Learning objectives
- Contents
- Bibliography
- Teaching methods
- Contacts/Info
The student must have basic knowledge of Earth Science. Basic knowledge of English language is required.
Verification of learning will be through an oral final exam. A written report on the field and laboratory activity is required as well. The report has to be delivered at least 1 week before the oral exam. The final vote is based on the oral exam (80%) and the written report (20%, 2/3 of which for the contents and 1/3 for formal requirements). The final mark is given based on quality and completeness of answers, ability to use technical language, ability to elaborate a critical reasoning in an autonomous way. If required, compensatory tools and/or dispensatory measures will be guaranteed, upon verification of the personalized education plan compiled by institutional offices.
The course will provide knowledge on the different types of georesources. Theorical, technical and applied aspects of resource exploitation, and potential negative consequences, will be discussed; real case histories will be presented. The first part of the course deals with water resources; the second part will focus on hydrocarbon geology, mineral resources and geoheritage.
The course is delivered for 2nd year students (old course, 4 credits) and for 1st year students (new course, 6 credits).
Expected outcomes
At the end of the course, the student will have learned the key concepts on geological resources exploitation and related impacts; the student will be able to apply and communicate theorical knowledge in a multidisciplinary environment.
Knowledges:
- Understand the different types of georesources, their characteristics and potential environmental impacts.
Ability to apply the knowledge:
- Apply the basic theorical concepts in the field or laboratory.
- Understand and comment scientific literature and technical documents written in English
- Evaluate different approaches, identifying relative advantages and criticalities.
- Integrate multidisciplinary information and, if not complete or not in agreement, critically evaluate them.
- Realize a technical report after the field and laboratory experiences, describing and analyzing the collected data.
Communication skills:
- Synthetize relevant information and to communicate to professionals
- Write a technical report.
The main topics addressed during the course include:
- Georesources in the Environmental Sciences, economic geology, legislation (6 hours)
- Water resources: surface and groundwater; hydrogeology; Lake Como and the Po basin (12 hours).
- Fossil fuels and mineral resources: classification, genesis and exploitation (4 hours).
- Renewable energy, energy transition (6 hours)
- Site remediation; waste or resource? (6 hours)
- Urban geology (4 hours)
- Geoheritage and geotourism (2 hours)
Field excursions and lab activities:
- Hydrogeological survey in the Como urban area and analysis of the effects due to subsidence; data analysis and elaboration (8 hours)
- Observation of rock and mineral samples and of sediment cores (4 hours)
- Field excursion (to be defined, 4 hours)
The material used during the lessons and exercises will be made available to the student on the e-learning platform.
RECOMMENDED TEXTS
Massimo Civita (2005): Idrogeologia applicata e ambientale. Casa Editrice Ambrosiana.
Tanelli, G. (2009): Georisorse e Ambiente. Aracne editrice, ISBN-10: 8854826154
Moon, C. J., Whateley, M. K., & Evans, A. M. (2006). Introduction to mineral exploration (No. Ed. 2). Blackwell publishing.
Teaching language: Italian
Frontal class lecture (24 or 40 hours) and field / laboratory activities (16 hours for either 1st or 2nd year students). During the field and lab excursions, the students will work in small groups under the supervision of the teacher. Students are asked to realize a report of the activities, on a template that will be made available to them.
I am available to meet the students upon request, please send me an email.
Professors
Borrowers
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Degree course in: ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES