This document discusses minerals, their composition, properties, and classification. It states that minerals are naturally occurring inorganic solids with a definite chemical composition and crystalline structure. Most minerals are compounds made up of two or more elements, with oxygen and silicon being the most common. Minerals are classified based on their chemical structure and physical properties such as hardness, crystal structure, cleavage, fracture characteristics, luster, color, streak, fluorescence, and reaction to acid. The properties of minerals provide information about their internal atomic structure and composition.

2. MINERALS
Objectives:
1. Identify the
different minerals
2. Enumerate the
properties of
minerals

5. MINERALS ARE MADE UP OF SINGLE
ELEMENTS OR COMPOUNDS
ELEMENTS
COMPOUNDS
A SUBSTANCE THAT CANNOT BE BROKEN DOWN TO
ANY SIMPLER SUBSTANCE
ARE PURE SUBSTANCES THAT ARE THE UNIONS OF
TWO OR MORE ELEMENTS
EIGHT MOST COMMON ELEMENTS IN THE EARTH’S CRUST:
1.) OXYGEN 46% 3-8.)THE REMAINING 25% IS
COMPOSED OF Al, Fe, Ca, Na, K, Mg
2.) SILICON 29%

6. A MINERAL IS:
1.) NATURALLY OCCURRING
2.) DEFINITE CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
3.) INORGANIC SOLID
4.) CRYSTALLINE STRUCTURE
5.) DEFINITE SET OF CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL PROPERTIES

7. FAMILIES OF MINERALS
Native Minerals ARE COMPOSED OF SINGLE ELEMENTS.
Au (aurum) GOLD
Ag (argentium) SILVER
Cu (cuprum) COPPER
S SULFUR
C GRAPHITE OR DIAMOND

8. MOST MINERALS ARE COMPOSED OF TWO OR
MORE ELEMENTS
HALITE (NaCl)
QUARTZ (SiO2)

9. • OXYGEN AND SILICON COMBINE READILY WITH EACH OTHER AND WITH
OTHER ELEMENTS TO FORM THIS FAMILY OF MINERALS
• MOST COMMON FAMILY OF MINERALS AND MAKE UP OVER 90% OF ALL
MINERALS
• THIS IS BECAUSE OXYGEN AND SILICON ARE THE MOST COMMON
ELEMENTS IN THE EARTH’S CRUST

10. THE PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF MINERALS ARE A
REFLECTION OF THE INTERNAL ARRANGEMENT OF
THEIR ATOMS

11. LEAST USEFUL PROPERTY, CHANGE IN THE CHEMICAL FORMULA
WILL VARY THE COLOR OF THE MINERAL. (QUARTZ)
SiO2
ROSE QUARTZ
CONTAINS TITANIUM OXIDE AND MANGANESE
OXIDE TO MAKE A ROSE COLOR
CRYSTAL QUARTZ

12. METALLIC- LOOKS LIKE METAL IN THE WAY THE MINERAL
REFLECTS LIGHT (GALENA OR PYRITE)
- THE WAY A MINERAL SHINES IN REFLECTED LIGHT.

13. NON-METALLIC- DOES NOT LOOK LIKE POLISHED
METAL, SO OTHER TERMS ARE USED
 VITREOUS- SHINY, GLASSLIKE
(QUARTZ)
• PEARLY LOOKS LIKE PEARLS WHEN
LIGHT IS REFLECTED OFF OF THE
SURFACE (OPAL)

14.  EARTHY- NO SHINE AT ALL (BAUXITE)
 ADAMANTINE- BRILLIANT GLOW, BEAM OF LIGHT AT A
CERTAIN ANGLE (DIAMOND)
 WAXY- DULL SHINE LIKE CANDLE WAX
(SULFUR, OLIVINE)

15. THE COLOR OF A MINERALS’ POWDER
RUB THE MINERAL AGAINST A STREAK PLATE AND OBSERVE THE
POWDER’S COLOR
HOW DO YOU FIND THE STREAK COLOR
OF A MINERAL?

16. CLEAVAGE- TENDENCY OF A MINERAL TO SEPARATE ALONG
PLANES OF WEAKNESS
ONE PLANE OF WEAKNESS BASAL
CLEAVAGE (MICA)
TWO PLANES OF CLEAVAGE AT 90*
(ORTHOCLASE)

17.  THREE PLANES OF WEAKNESS AT 90* = CUBIC (HALITE)
 THREE PLANES NOT AT 90* = RHOMBOHEDRAL (CALCITE)

18. FRACTURE- NO PLANES OF WEAKNESS SO THE MINERAL BREAKS
ALONG IRREGULAR SURFACES
CONCHOIDAL- SURFACES ARE SOMEWHAT
ROUNDED, SHELL-LIKE (QUARTZ)

19. UNEVEN- ROUGH SURFACE, NO DISTINGUISHABLE
PATTERN
 FIBROUS- JAGGED SURFACE LIKE FIBERS (WOLLASTONITE)

20. RESISTANCE TO BE SCRATCHED; IS VERY USEFUL SINCE A MINERAL’S
HARDNESS IS CONSTANT
• SCALE TO MEASURE HARDNESS WAS DEVELOPED BY FRIEDRICH MOH IN
1812
• HARDNESS IS MEASURED ON A SCALE FROM 1 BEING THE
LOWEST TO 10 BEING THE HIGHEST.
• TO DETERMINE THE HARDNESS OF A MINERAL YOU MUST TRY TO
SCRATCH THE MINERAL AGAINST A GLASS PLATE

21. FINGERNAIL IS A 2.5
GLASS IS A 5.5
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
TALC TALCUM POWDER, BABY POWDER
GYPSUM BUILDING MATERIALS (SHEETROCK)
CALCITE CEMENTS
FLUORITE TOOTHPASTE
APATITE FERTILIZER
FELDSPAR FLOOR TILES
QUARTZ WATCHES, ABRASIVES
TOPAZ GEMSTONES (EMERALD)
CORUNDUM GEMSTONES (RUBY & SAPHIRE)
DIAMOND SAW BLADES, “AGIRL’S BEST FRIEND”
MINERAL NAME TYPICAL USES

22. • EFFERVESCENCE – ADDING HCL TO A MINERAL CAUSES IT TO FIZZ
• MAGNETIC – THE ABILITY TO ATTRACT A MAGNET (MAGNETITE)
• TASTE – HALITE

23. • ODOR – SOMETIMES THE POWDER OF A MINERAL HAS A CERTAIN ODOR
(SULFUR SMELLS LIKE ROTTEN EGGS)
• DOUBLE REFRACTION – SPLITS LIGHT RAYS (CALCITE)

24. • SPECIFIC GRAVITY (DENSITY) – SOME MINERALS HAVE ATOMS
VERY TIGHTLY PACKED, AND FEEL HEAVIER BECAUSE THEY ARE
MORE DENSE (GALENA)
• FLUORESCENCE – THE ABILITY TO GLOW UNDER ULTRA VIOLET
LIGHT (SPHALERITE)