How different is geology from gemology?
Gemmology is a quite specialised subject, concerned with the nature, and identification of precious and semi-precious stones. If you want to spend your life grading diamonds, for example this is the course for you. Geology is a more wide ranging subject. You will do something on minerology, the study of the chemical and physical characteristics of minerals ( of which precious and semiprecious stones are just a small part) You will also study the way minerals form rocks, the differnt types of rocks and what information we can gain from the study of rocks. You might do specialist courses on metamorphism, sedimentology, or geochemistry ( the chemistry of rocks and minerals). You will also need to know about fossils (many courses will spaecialise in this aspect, which is called paleontology) You will also look at subjects such as seismology and how this relates to plate tectonics. Geology is a wide ranging scientific subject, with many specialisms within it, Gemmology is a specialist field
