Minerals are naturally occurring inorganic solids with a definite chemical composition and crystalline structure. They are the building blocks of rocks and can be identified based on properties like color, streak, hardness, cleavage, crystalline structure, diaphaneity, luster, and tenacity. Mineralogists use these observable properties to determine if a material is classified as a mineral or not.

2. What are Minerals?
Minerals are the building
blocks of rocks.
Mineralogists use the criteria
to determine whether a material
is classified as a mineral or not.

3. Characteristics of Minerals
1. naturally occurring- a product of Earth’s
Earth’s natural processes
2. inorganic- it must be product of Earth’s
physical processes.
3. homogeneous solid- minerals should
have definite volume and rigid shape
4. definite chemical composition—
represented by a chemical formula
5. orderly crystalline structure- atoms of
minerals are arranged in an orderly and
repeating pattern

4. Properties of Minerals
To identify minerals, mineralogists observe the following properties:
a. Color - mineral’s color may change depending on the surface.

5. Properties of Minerals
b. Streak - color of mineral in powdered form.

6. Properties of Minerals
c. Hardness –
minerals
resistance to
scratching

7. Properties of Minerals
d. Cleavage - mineral’s resistance to being broken and
fracture

8. Properties of Minerals
e. Crystalline structure or habit

9. Properties of Minerals
f. Diaphaneity/amount of transparency - ability to allow
light to pass through it. This is affected by chemical
makeup of the mineral sample.

10. Properties of Minerals
g. Luster - how light is reflected off a surface

11. Properties of Minerals
h. Tenacity - describes the minerals reaction to stress.
 Brittleness- a mineral turns into powder
 Malleability a mineral can be flattened by pounding with a hammer.
 Ductility- A mineral can be stretched into wire.
 Flexible but inelastic-Minerals are bent but they remain in the new
position.
 Flexible and elastic- Minerals are bent, and they bring back to their original
position.
 Sectility- ability of minerals to be sliced by a knife.

12. Tenacity
Brittleness- a mineral turns into powder

13. Tenacity
Malleability a mineral can be flattened by pounding with a
hammer.

14. Tenacity
Ductility- A mineral can be stretched into wire.

15. Tenacity
Flexible but inelastic-Minerals are bent but they remain in
the new position.

16. Tenacity
Flexible and elastic- Minerals are bent, and they bring
back to their original position.

17. Tenacity
 Sectility- ability of minerals to be sliced by a knife.