GEOL 513: HYDROTHERMAL GEOCHEMISTRYCredit: 3.00Instructor: Dr. Thomas MoneckePre-requisite Knowledge: Satisfactory completion of a mineral deposits course and its prerequisites or an interest in geothermal systems with adequate background knowledge.

GEOL 513 is a unique modular course o� ered once per year during the spring semester. It is the principal aim of the course to introduce students to the behavior of hydrothermal fl uids and the geochemistry of high-temperature aqueous systems through the study of natural systems. Fundamental phase relationships of aqueous fl uids will be evaluated to answer the question what the physical nature of hydrothermal fl uids is under di� erent pressure and temperature conditions. The course addresses the question how fl uids evolve during fl uid migration in di� erent geological environments through processes of phase separation, fl uid-rock interaction, mineral precipitation, and fl uid mixing. Principles of hydrothermal geochemistry will be explained using selected ore-forming hydrothermal systems as examples. Emphasis is placed on porphyry and epithermal environments associated with magmatic arcs and subaerial geothermal systems forming in extensional suprasubduction settings. The course will cover a number of practical aspects including hand specimen petrography, ore microscopy, fl uid inclusion analysis, and geochemical data analysis techniques.

GEOL513 builds on basic knowledge learned in and typical undergraduate career. Students will be exposed to fl uid sampling techniques during a one-day fi eld trip to Steamboat Springs, Colorado. Samples will be collected from active geothermal systems and transported back to the Colorado School of Mines campus for major and trace element analysis. In addition, in-situ chemical parameters will be measured and recorded in the fi eld. This course is intended to build a fundamental understanding of ore-forming processes that can be applied in industry settings.