Once again I did not do a good job of updating last semester, but I'm trying again. This week was our first full week of classes, although classes did start last Thursday and we were off for Martin Luther King Day on Monday. This means that we've had the equivalent of one week of GEOL1030 classes. In our first week of classes we've discussed the scientific method and minerals.
I just read an interesting blog post (here) about conflict minerals. Gold, tungsten, tin and tantalum are minerals that are abundant in the Democratic Republic of Congo, an impoverished country that has been severely affected by civil war. Mining and trading of those minerals have helped fund the wars that have rocked DRC, but a new program will require US companies to certify with the SEC that any gold, tungsten, tin and tantalum acquired has not been used to fund conflict in DRC. I think this a great step to help resolve issues surrounding conflict minerals.
On a less serious note, go take a look at this huge ruby corundum collected from Maryland. Corundum, as discussed in class today, is a mineral that can be found in many colors and "forms", with both rubies and blue sapphires considered to be the mineral corundum.
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