Geochemistry prepares people to use chemistry to understand the Earth and how it works. Students learn about chemical elements found in rocks, soils, and water. They learn about the distribution and movement of these elements. They also learn how human activities can change the chemistry of soils and water.
Did you know that rubies and sapphires are the same mineral, but geochemical processes make one red and one blue? Did you ever wonder why some volcanoes erupt with flowing lava while others explode with tiny specs of glass or ash? Heat, pressure, and composition change everything.
As you study this program, you learn about chemical compositions, structure, and properties. You learn about processes and transformations. You learn about chemicals and their interactions. You also learn about the chemistry of seawater, and the chemical reactions that cause acid rain from air pollution.
You can use this knowledge to find new mineral deposits. It is also useful to tell whether oil shales contain enough oil to make it worthwhile to develop. Environmental consulting firms use geochemists to help advise industries about safe disposal of toxic wastes, among other things.
About 20 colleges in the U.S. offer a bachelor's degree in geochemistry. This interdisciplinary program blends chemistry and geology and takes four or five years of full-time study beyond high school. Another route is to major in chemistry and take a minor in geology, or vice versa. A bachelor's degree prepares you for an entry-level position as a geochemical technician.
An advanced degree may let you specialize more, and in fact, most jobs in this field require at least a master's degree. It takes about six years beyond high school to complete a master's degree program. A Ph.D. in geochemistry may take an additional two to three years.
Some possible areas of concentration include:
• Crystal Geochemistry - chemical reactions are studied in crystal formation. The patterns of element chemistry in crystals and the properties caused by chemical variations are determined.
• Low Temperature Geochemistry - chemical reactions and processes are examined at or near the earth's surface, usually involving interactions with water, rocks, and minerals.
• High Temperature Geochemistry - chemical reactions and processes are defined that occur either deep within the earth or in areas of elevated temperatures such as volcanoes or hot springs.
• Cosmic Geochemistry - chemical interactions involved in the condensation of matter are studied, and their importance in the formation and evolution of the earth, the planets, and larger universe is explored.
• Organic Geochemistry - organic chemical reactions and patterns are examined in earth processes such as mineral formation and dissolution, vegetation decay, and coal and oil formation.
• Isotope Geochemistry - stable element isotope patterns or radioactive isotope values are used to determine the origin and age of minerals, rocks, the earth, and planets.