The area of Earth Sciences traditionally referred to as Mineralogy has changed dramatically over the last two decades. Although the foundations of the subject still lie in the systematic description of the structures and compositions of the mineral groups, this taxonomic approach no longer fulfills the needs of Earth Scientists. Merely recognising minerals in rocks is equivalent to being able to put a name to a fossil or a plant, without appreciating its function or significance. The changes that have taken place in Mineralogy can be broadly summarized as a shift in emphasis towards understanding the behaviour of minerals within the Earth – how they respond to changes in the physical and chemical environment during geological processes. This response generally involves structural and chemical changes within individual minerals in a rock as well as reactions between minerals.

To understand these processes the student of Mineralogy should ideally be familiar with aspects of crystallography, materials science, solid state chemistry and solid state physics. This is reflected in the new titles given to Mineralogy courses, which often include the terms Mineral Physics or Mineral Chemistry. The complexity of mineral structures as well as their unique thermal history provides a range of phenomena which cover the whole spectrum of physical and chemical behaviour, and mineral behaviour is increasingly attracting the attention of physicists and chemists. This interdisciplinary approach is proceeding at a rapid pace and needs to be reflected in the way Mineral Science courses are taught.