The main objective of this short course is to illustrate the interconnections between particle size, mineralogy and geochemistry.

Recognizing and applying these relationships is a task which geologists should take responsibility for. Ignoring them is, unfortunately, one of the most common sources of error in environmental studies, and not only by non-geologists!

 

A necessary secondary objective is to review some of the basic geology used to characterize size and composition of geologic materials.