Mineralogy is the study of minerals, which are naturally occurring inorganic solids with a defined chemical composition and crystalline atomic structure. Minerals can be described as inorganic, naturally formed solids with consistent chemical compositions and ordered atomic arrangements. Key physical properties include luster, hardness, streak, cleavage, fracture, color, specific gravity, and crystal form. Minerals are important natural resources but are non-renewable, so wise use and conservation is important to ensure availability for future generations.

2. Mineralogy – study of minerals.
– Building blocks of rocks
Mineral – defined as naturally formed, generally
inorganic, crystalline solid composed of an ordered
array of atoms and having a specific chemical
composition.

3. MINERALS THEREFORE, CAN BE
DESCRIBED AS:
INORGANIC - formed by natural geologic processes
FORMED IN NATURE
SOLIDS - crystalline substance that are solid at temperature at Earth’s surface
ATOMS HAVE THE SAME CRYSTALLINE PATTERN and with SPECIFIC CHEMICAL
COMPOSITION
CRYSTALLINE ATOMS are arranged in an orderly repetitive manner
Can be represented by a CHEMICAL FORMULA

4. PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF MINERALS
• LUSTER
• HARDNESS
• STREAK
• CLEAVAGE
• FRACTURE
• COLOR
• SPECIFIC GRAVITY
• CRYSTAL FORM

5. LUSTER
• Refers to the way of light is reflected from a mineral surface.
• Some have metallic surface such as gold, silver and copper.
• Others are described as vitreous or glassy, pearly, silky, resinous
and earthy or dull.

6. HARDNESS
• Refers to the minerals resistance to being scratched.
• The harder ones are difficult to scratch, the softer ones are less resistant to
scratches.
• Frederich Moh, a German mineralogist prepared a scale of hardness with a number
of 1-10 in the increasing hardness.

7. MOH’S SCALE OF HARDNESS
• 1. TALC
• 2. GYPSUM
• 3. CALCITE
• 4. FLUORITE
• 5. APATITE
• 6. ORTHOCLASE
• 7. QUARTZ
• 8. TOPAZ
• 9. CORUNDUM
• 10. DIAMOND

8. TALC

9. GYPSUM

10. CALCITE

11. FLUORITE

12. APATITE

13. ORTHOCLASE

14. QUARTZ

15. TOPAZ

16. CORUNDUM

17. DIAMOND

18. COLOR AND STREAK
• Refers to the color of the powdered mineral
• The sample is rubbed across a piece of unglazed porcelain or streak plate.

19. CLEAVAGE
• Tendency of minerals to break along planes of weak bonding.
• Described by the number of planes exhibited and the angles at which they meet

20. FRACTURE
• Minerals that do not exhibit cleavage are said to fracture when
broken.
• Some break like glass, some into splinters or fiber.

21. COLOR
•Some are of the same color like azurite is
always deep blue , malachite is green,
cinnabar is red and sulfur is yellow.

22. SPECIFIC GRAVITY
• Is a number which represents the ratio to the weight of an equal volume of water.
• Example, Galena is 7.5 times heavier than a comparable volume of water.

23. CRYSTAL FORM
•External features of a mineral reflect its
orderly internal arrangement of atoms

24. CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF
MINERALS
• A sample chemical test is
a. TASTE TEST – NaCl (common table salt) has a distinctly salty taste.
b. FIZZ TEST - carbonate minerals in hydrochloric acid , giving of bubbles of
carbon dioide gas.

25. NATURAL RESOURCES
• 'The Earth’s crust and oceans are the sources of a wide variety of useful and
essential minerals.
• Renewable resources can be replenished.
• Nonrenewable are same basic resources such as iron, aluminum and copper. Others
are fuels like oil, natural gas and coal.

26. NATURAL RESOURCES
• Rich deposits of metallic minerals such as iron, nickel, copper, gold, silver,
chromium, zinc and lead are also located.
• Gold is the precious metal which can be found pure in nature.
• Mercury reserves are located in Albay and Palawan.
• Our biggest lead deposits are found in Ayala, Zamboanga.
• Molybdenum deposits occur in Batangas.

27. NATURAL RESOURCES
• Gold is a metal for adornment, It exhibits a shiny yellow color and a specific gravity
of 29.3.
• Platinum is catalyst in refining petroleum.

28. MINERALS IN THE PHILIPPINES
• Nonmetallic minerals include:
a. limestone – used to make concrete and cement. It is found in Cebu, Negros
and Bulacan.
b. feldspar – used in making tiles and ceramic toilet ware found in Ilocos Norte
and Pampanga.
c. silica – used in making glass found in Palawan and Negros Occidental.
d. clay - used for pottery found in Ilocos Norte.
e. Red marble – found in romblon.

29. CONSERVING OUR MINERAL
RESOURCES
• It took thousands or even millions of years to produce these resources.
• Mineral resources are non-renewable.
• It is important for us to utilize wisely and conserve our country’s wealth for
future generations to come.

30. WE SHOULD:
•RECYCLE OUR PRODUCTS TO REDUCE WASTE
•RECOVER MINERALS FROM MINE TAILINGS
•CONTROL CORROSION
•USE ALLOYS WHENEVER FEASIBLE

31. “WE CAN HELP CONSERVE OUR
RESOURCES FOR OUR NEEDS
DURING OUR LIFETIME.”