Minerals

1
Minerals
2
What is a mineral?

• A mineral must be all of the following
• Naturally occurring
• Inorganic solid (not living)
• Definite crystal structure
• Definite composition (what its made of)

3
What is a crystal?

• A crystal is a solid in which the atoms are
  arranged in repeating patterns

4
How do minerals form?

• 3 Ways
• Cooling of melted rock (magma)
• Evaporation of liquid
• Saturated solutions

5
Mineral Composition

• Silicates- minerals that contain silicon and
  oxygen (Si O)
• -most abundant
• Carbonates- minerals that contain carbon and
  oxygen (C O)

6
Elements in Earths Crust
7
(No Transcript)
8
Mineral Identification

• Color color is the first property you notice
  this is usually the 1st step in identification,
  but the least useful

9
Quartz and Fluorite come in many different
colors



10
Mineral Identification

• Luster the way light reflects from a minerals
  surface

11
2 Types of Luster

• Metallic shiny
• Nonmetallic glassy, brilliant, greasy, oily,
  waxy, silky, or pearly

12
Metallic Luster
Pearly Luster (Non-Metallic)
Vitreous Luster (Non-Metallic)
13
Mineral Identification

• Streak the color of the powder left when a
  mineral is rubbed against a hard rough surface
  (usually unglazed porcelain)

14
Testing Mineral Specimens
15
Mineral Identification

• Hardness is a minerals resistance to being
  scratched

16
Mohs Scale of Hardness

• Scale ranges from 1 to 10
• 1 is softest 10 is hardest

17
Mohs Hardness Scale
18
Factoid

• What is the hardest substance on Earth??

• A diamond is the hardest substance
• (10 on Mohs scale)

19
Mineral Identification

• Specific Gravity comparing density of a mineral
  to the density of water

20
Mineral Identification

• Cleavage mineral breaks along smooth surface
• Fracture mineral breaks unevenly (jagged)

21
Mineral Identification

• Acid Test some minerals give off CO2 (carbon
  dioxide) when acid is added.
• The mineral fizzes when acid is applied

22

If its a carbonate
23
Mineral Usage

• Ore mineral resource mined for a profit
• Gem mineral that is beautiful, rare, and
  valuable

24
Metals

• Metals are elements that have metallic luster,
  malleability, ductility, and conductivity

25
Malleability

• the ability of a mineral to be hammered without
  breaking

26
Ductility

• the ability to be pulled and stretched without
  breaking

27
Conductivity

• the ability to conduct heat or electricity