The course is organized so that there are two theoretical sessions per week, each lasting 50 minutes, attended by the entire class, and one practical session per week lasting 110 minutes.

The theoretical sessions mainly consist of interactive lectures in which concepts are clarified, textures and ore deposit types are described, study techniques are summarized, and mineral deposit formation processes are presented. Students acquire the scientific and technical knowledge specific to the course through these classes and by supplementing them with independent study of the topics covered. These theoretical sessions are combined with the development of simple calculations to solve problems related to mineral deposits. Some short assignments are completed during theoretical sessions, while others of greater scope are finished outside class hours. These assignments involve reading short texts or scientific articles that students must understand and compare with prior information or with materials they must independently locate. Students must be able to summarize what they have learned and draw conclusions about the formation or exploration of mineral deposits. Most of these texts will be written in English. In addition to the course-specific bibliography, supplementary materials (graphs, photographs, maps, diagrams, etc.) will be made available to students through the Virtual Campus.

All materials used by the teaching staff in class will be available on the course Virtual Campus in an organized manner, properly labeled and with the corresponding references. Students are encouraged to consult the recommended bibliography and links regularly in order to consolidate the contents explained in class.

Both the laboratory practicals and the fieldwork facilitate the understanding and consolidation of the theoretical content of the course. Practical sessions are held in the Microscopy Laboratory, where students will learn to work with the reflected-light microscope, study the optical properties of metallic ores, learn to identify the main opaque minerals, and interpret their textures. Hand specimens of host rocks, ore and gangue minerals from representative mineral deposits of the most significant deposit types will also be examined. To help students understand the different types of mineral deposits covered in the course, practical sessions will include samples corresponding to the deposits described that same day in the theoretical lecture. In addition, during the study week prior to examinations, review practical sessions may be held with the occasional presence of the instructor.

The fieldwork component of the Mineral Deposits course is mandatory and will consist of a one-day field trip. The trip will be organized to visit several nearby mineral deposits of geological interest. During the excursion, students will visit mines (active or abandoned), produce geological cross-sections of outcrops, and practice the visual identification of minerals. Special attention will also be given to identifying and interpreting textural relationships and cross-cutting relationships between the host rock, mineralization, and alteration.

Note: Fifteen minutes of a class session, scheduled according to the timetable established by the faculty or degree program, will be reserved for students to complete evaluations of the teaching activity of the instructors and assessments of the course or module.

Annotation: within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.

During the course, two thematic exams will be performed to assess the knowledge acquired in the theoretical classes. Additionally, students will be required to complete several assignments (either individually or in groups), as well as some tests, and a fieldwork exam. At the end of the course, students who failed the thematic exams will have the opportunity to retake them on the date set by the Faculty (Note: online activities are not recoverable). On this date, a final/global exam will be mandatory for all students. All partial and final exams will consist of short-answer questions that can be completed with the help of books and notes. Some questions may include simple calculation problems.

The practical laboratory component will be assessed through a practical exam at the end of the practical sessions, conducted in the microscopy lab itself. The exam will consist of mineral identification, description of textures in polished sections, and recognition of metallic ores in hand samples. This practical exam can be retaken on a date set by the lecturer. It will be open-note, allowing the use of diagrams and notes created by the student during the practical sessions.

There will also be a fieldwork exam at the end of the field trip.

The practical exam will count for 40% of the final grade, the theory and problem partial exams for 35%, the progress in assignments and the field exam for 15%, and a final comprehensive exam for the remaining 10%. If a student does not achieve a minimum grade (4 out of 10) in each of the major assessments, the weighting system will not apply, and the student will fail the course.

If a student requests a single evaluation (in the form and date determined by the Faculty), they will take an exam consisting of a theory test (50%), a practical exam on mineral recognition in hand specimens and under the microscope, with an oral evaluation (40%), and a fieldwork exam (10%). The date of this exam will be the same as the last theory partial exam of the subject.Attendance at the field trip and at 70% of the practical sessions will be mandatory.

The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools is strictly prohibited in all phases of this course. Any assignment containing AI-generated content will be considered a violation of academic integrity and may result in partial or full grade penalties, or more serious disciplinary action in severe cases.

The commission of any irregularity in an assessment activity (academic fraud, plagiarism, or improper use of AI, unless such use is expressly authorized in the course guide) that could lead to a significant alteration of the grade will result in that assessment activity being awarded a grade of 0. If the course guide stipulates that obtaining a minimum grade in that assessment activity is an essential requirement for passing the course, or if multiple irregularities occur in the assessment activities of the same course, the final grade for the course will be 0. Furthermore, independently of the academic consequences described above, disciplinary proceedings may be initiated against any student who commits any of these irregularities.