Mineralogy and petrology at IU include research on pure and applied mineralogy, along with research contributions to our hydrology, biogeochemistry, geochemistry, and sedimentary geology research efforts. We concentrate on the crystal structural details of minerals, the mineral composition of rocks and sediments, how minerals and rocks form and are affected by their environment, and on how they can be used to date events in Earth history.

 Our laboratories are well suited for experimental studies of the behavior of minerals under controlled temperature and atmosphere conditions, on evaluating the composition and properties of rocks, of simulating their transport in water, and analyzing their chemical composition.  Our state-of-the-art instrumentation includes scanning electron microscopy, electron microprobe, fission track thermochronology, trace metal analysis, ICP-MS, and a rock prep lab. We also have extensive collection of minerals and rocks, including the Haydn Murray clay mineral collection, the Vitaliano volcanics collection, the Masters mineral collection, and the Hattin stratigraphic collection.