FMF - Friends of Minerals Forum, discussion and message board

[Xavier Martinez]

We are some persons that professionally we come from worlds very different from that of the mineralogy, geology, chemistry …. Sciences of the land.
Now then, the minerals are our interest, also in cause everything what implies his knowledge: crystallography, morphology, chemical elements, classifications, paragénesis, properties, deposits, etc. Definitively his study or knowledge in general.
Independently of pulling bibliography, contacts, of going to fairs, this Fabre's magnificent forum, … I would like to know if there exists some type of course of university extension, seminars, or monographic, any type of informative etc. To be able to know or to penetrate more into the knowledge of the minerals.

[Konstantinos Ch.]

Hello!

Science is a combination of theory and practice. One can have the theory by reading bibliography and asking for clarification those who have already read and worked (for example professors...). Once you think you've read enough and you have understood, you can go to practice what you know.

For minerals, go to the Mineralogy Faculty of your closest university and ask students and professors for all the books you need to study. Start studying and when you are over with a book, go and ask for clarification (if needed). To practice what you have read, go to museums and collections and watch every specimen very carefully thinking of the relation between the specimen and what you've read. The more you see, the highest your experience will get.

For Geology, practice is to ask the scientists where to go and what to see. Go to the field, search at the indicated points and search for minerals.

Now, to check mineral properties, just go to a mineral database and read for specific minerals.

If you need a certificate to prove to someone what you know, ask at the university of your area if this would be possible and how ( having in mind without officially studing Mineralogy like other students) .

I hope I helped.
-Kostas.