3. After going through this module, you are
expected to:
1. identify the examples of minerals;
2. explain the different characteristics of
minerals;
3. develop awareness on the importance of
minerals around us.
6. What are Minerals?
• are the building blocks of rocks.
Mineralogists use the criteria to determine
whether a material is classified as a
mineral or not.
• are naturally occurring inorganic element or
compound having an orderly internal
structure and characteristics chemical and
physical properties
7. Characteristics of Minerals
1. naturally occurring- a product of 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
8. What are the use of Minerals?
We are using products made from minerals
daily. Graphite is the mineral used in wooden
pencil. Halite is the mineral found in salt. Your
cellphone is made up of different minerals. The
cars that we drive, the roads that we travel, the
building that we live in, are some examples of
products derived from minerals.
11. Example of Minerals
TALC
use in personal care products such as loose
powders(e.g. talcum powder, baby powder,
blush, eyeshadow).
Contain chemical element like Magnesium,
Silicone, and Oxygen(Mg3Si4O10)
Hard, color white, sea green, uneven
13. Example of Minerals
GYPSUM
Use in fertilizer, plasters, toothpaste,
shampoo.
Contain chemical element like Calcium
Sulphate(CaSO4)
Hard, Colorless to white, maybe yellow, tan,
blue pink
15. Example of Minerals
CALCITE
Use to make chalk, cement, and paints.
Contain chemical element like calcium,
carbon and oxygen(CaCO3)
Hard, polyhedrons, color red, pink, yellow or
brown.
19. Example of Minerals
APATITE
Use to make ceramics, insecticides, and
textiles.
Contain chemical element like calcium and
phosphate(Ca5(PO4)3(OH,F,CI)
Hard, usually green in color but can be
yellow, brown, blue or colorless, and
hexagonal in shape.
27. Example of Minerals
CORUNDUM
Use to make sandpapers and grinding wheel.
AI2O3 (Aluminum Oxide)
Hard, color yellow, blue, brown and
colorless.
40. 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.