GV3GRE: Geological Resources

Module code: GV3GRE

Module provider: Geography and Environmental Science; School of Archaeology, Geography and Environmental Science

Credits: 20

Level: 6

When you’ll be taught: Semester 1

Module convenor: Dr Hazel McGoff , email: h.j.mcgoff@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2025/6

Available to visiting students: Yes

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 3 April 2025

Overview

Module aims and purpose

This module explores key types of geological resources including critical metals and non-metals, oil, gas and building materials. The geological and geographical origin of these resources from around the world will be described. In addition the environmental impacts of geological resources extraction as well as their economic and strategic importance will beÌýconsidered.Ìý

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The aims of this module are to enable students to:

1. Describe the geological origins of a select range of minerals and rocks. These include key resources derived from igneous rocks from the ocean and continental crust and from sediment sequences
2. Develop practical skills in identifying key mineral and rock resources and to consider the Earth processes that formed them
3. Consider the wider economic and strategic importance of some key geological resources.
4. Discuss the environmental impacts of geological resource extraction and the measures that can be taken to reduce these impacts.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to:

1. Describe the geological origins of a selection of significant mineral and rock resources
2. Identify key mineral and rock specimens in hand specimen
3. Evaluate the economic and strategic importance of some key resources of geological origin.
4. Evaluate the environmental impacts of geological resources extraction and how these impacts can be decreased.

Module content

1. Selected critical resources for example tin, lithium, platinum and tungsten
2. A range of non-critical but important metals such as copper and iron
3. Selected non-metal resources used in construction for example, sands and gravels, block stone and clays
4. Evaporite minerals – salts and carbonates
5. Fossil fuels including oil and gas

The development of practical identification skills of some minerals and rocks is also an important aspect of the module content.

Evaluation of the economic and strategic importance of select key resources and their environmental impacts

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

• Weekly lectures
• Seminar discussions
• Short screencasts
• Laboratory practicalsÌý

Study hours

At least 37 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 40% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three working days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: /cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

Non-assessed Blackboard quizzes so that students can test themselves on the learning outcomes for each topic.

Reassessment

Additional costs