Mineral Definition A mineral is defined as an inorganic element, compound, or substance that naturally develops with an organized internal structure and/or crystal form over time. Minerals are also distinguishable by their chemical composition and physical properties, as determined in laboratories by geologists. Typical earth minerals found in most igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks are…

Feldspars Feldspars: In the field of geology, and the branch of mineralogy, feldspars are a mineral group, that is the most common amongst the earth’s crust. In fact, there are two types of feldspars: plagioclase feldspar and orthoclase feldspar.

Effective Size (D10) “Effective Size” (D10) is an engineering geology term. Effective Size represents a diameter that directly corresponds to the percentage, by weight, of grains that equal to 10% on the grain-size diagram. To illustrate, 10% of the soil sample particles are finer-grained, and 90% of the sample particles are coarser than the “effective…

Methane Mitigation Soil Gas Pressure Sensor Methane Mitigation Soil Gas Pressure Sensor: A Methane Mitigation Soil Gas Pressure Sensor is a device that measures and communicates sub-slab soil gas pressure to a methane control panel system. High levels of methane soil gas then trigger the integrated methane alarm system to notify occupants of danger. Much…

Volcanology Volcanology: Volcanology is a branch of geology that focuses on the study of volcanos. In volcanology, geologists conduct field and laboratory investigations to learn about continental, coastal, and submarine volcanic activities. In fact, volcanology ties into many other branches of geology. For instance, a volcanologist may study the geochemistry of igneous rocks, such as…

Rigidity Definition Rigidity – In geotechnical engineering and engineering geology, rigidity represents the ratio of the shear stress and the amount of angular rotation that it produces, within a rock sample.