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    Everyday Definition of Minerals

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    Vahlerii Tesing
    This document defines minerals according to everyday usage and earth science definitions. Minerals are naturally occurring inorganic solids with a crystalline structure that cannot be produced by living organisms. They have regular atomic arrangements and specific chemical compositions. Minerals are classified based on their crystal structure, which can be isometric, hexagonal, tetragonal, orthorhombic, monoclinic or triclinic. Physical properties like cleavage, hardness, density, color, luster and streak are also used to identify minerals and are determined by their crystal structure and atomic bonding.

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    Everyday Definition of Minerals

    Uploaded by

    Vahlerii Tesing
    59 views5 pages
    This document defines minerals according to everyday usage and earth science definitions. Minerals are naturally occurring inorganic solids with a crystalline structure that cannot be produced by living organisms. They have regular atomic arrangements and specific chemical compositions. Minerals are classified based on their crystal structure, which can be isometric, hexagonal, tetragonal, orthorhombic, monoclinic or triclinic. Physical properties like cleavage, hardness, density, color, luster and streak are also used to identify minerals and are determined by their crystal structure and atomic bonding.

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    minerals

    Original Title

    Minerals

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    This document defines minerals according to everyday usage and earth science definitions. Minerals are naturally occurring inorganic solids with a crystalline structure that cannot be produced by living organisms. They have regular atomic arrangements and specific chemical compositions. Minerals are classified based on their crystal structure, which can be isometric, hexagonal, tetragonal, orthorhombic, monoclinic or triclinic. Physical properties like cleavage, hardness, density, color, luster and streak are also used to identify minerals and are determined by their crystal structure and atomic bonding.

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    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    59 views5 pages

    Everyday Definition of Minerals

    Uploaded by

    Vahlerii Tesing
    This document defines minerals according to everyday usage and earth science definitions. Minerals are naturally occurring inorganic solids with a crystalline structure that cannot be produced by living organisms. They have regular atomic arrangements and specific chemical compositions. Minerals are classified based on their crystal structure, which can be isometric, hexagonal, tetragonal, orthorhombic, monoclinic or triclinic. Physical properties like cleavage, hardness, density, color, luster and streak are also used to identify minerals and are determined by their crystal structure and atomic bonding.

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    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    of 5

    6/28/2012

    1
    MINERALS
    AND THE
    MINERAL CYCLE
    Everyday definition of Minerals
    In everyday usage, the word mineral
    can have several different meanings
    Can mean something needed by our
    body (vitamins and minerals)
    Could be something a fertilizer
    furnishes for a plant (nitrogen,
    potassium, phosphorus)
    Or could mean mineral
    resources taken from the earth
    for human use (i.e. sand, rock,
    and coal)
    Earth Science Definition
    Naturally occurring, inorganic solid
    element or compound with a
    crystalline structure (can be
    microscopic)
    Cannot be synthetic, must not be
    produced by a living organism, and
    must have atoms arranged in a
    regular, repeating pattern
    So, are not only those exotic crystals
    in museums or as valuable gems and
    metals but any substance that meets
    the above criteria
    Crystal Structures of Minerals
    Can be made up of atoms of one or
    more kinds of elements
    Examples:
    Diamond with only carbon atoms in
    a strong crystal structure
    Quartz with atoms of silicon and
    oxygen in a hexagonal prism crystal
    structure
    6/28/2012
    2
    Is coal a mineral?
    Each mineral has its
    own defined chemical
    composition or range of
    chemical compositions
    Crystals classification
    and identification
    based on the symmetry
    of their surfaces
    Major systems in classifying
    crystalline substances:
    Isometric, hexagonal, tetragonal,
    orthorhombic, monoclinic, triclinic
    ISOMETRIC or CUBIC
    All edges equal, all angles 90; Halite,
    Fluorite, Pyrite, Galena, Garnet,
    Magnetite, Gold, Copper, Diamond
    HEXAGONAL
    Angles of 60, 90, and 120; Ice
    (snowflakes), Quartz, Beryl,
    Corundum, Hematite, Calcite,
    Dolomite
    Isometric (cubic)
    HALITE GALENA
    GARNET FLOURITE
    6/28/2012
    3
    Hexagonal
    Snowflake
    BERYL CORUNDUM
    CALCITE
    TETRAGONAL
    Two edges equal, all angles 90;
    square cross-section but different
    third dimension; Zircon, Chalcopyrite
    ORTHORHOMBIC
    No edges equal, all angles 90; Like
    the shape of a cereal carton; Olivine,
    Andalusite, Sillimanite, some
    Amphiboles and Pyroxenes, Topaz,
    Sulfur
    Tetragonal
    ZIRCON
    CHALCOPYRITE
    RUTILE
    Orthorhombic
    OLIVINE
    TOPAZ
    SULFUR
    MONOCLINIC
    No edges equal, two angles 90;
    shape obtained by knocking the ends
    out of a carton and skewing it; some
    Amphiboles and Pyroxenes, Micas,
    Gypsum, Epidote; Sugar also belongs
    to this crystal class
    Monoclinic
    GYPSUM
    MICA
    EPIDOTE DIOPSIDE
    6/28/2012
    4
    TRICLINIC
    No edges equal, no 90angles; most
    Feldspars, Kyanite, Clay Minerals
    KYANITE
    ALBITE
    (amazonite)
    Physical Properties of Minerals
    Cleavage, crystal form, hardness,
    density, color, luster, streak
    Cleavage tendency of a crystalline
    substance to split or break along
    smooth planes parallel to zones of
    weak bonding in the crystal structure
    Graphite structure
    Diamond structure
    Hardness a measure of a minerals
    resistance to abrasion; a measure of
    the strength of the atomic bonds in a
    crystal
    Density ratio of the weight of a
    substance to its volume; depends on
    how closely atoms are packed in the
    crystal structure
    6/28/2012
    5
    Mohs Hardness scale
    Mineral
    Assigned
    Hardness
    Test Used
    Talc 1
    Gyspsum 2
    Calcite 3 Fingernail
    Fluorite 4 Copper coin
    Apatite 5 Copper coin
    Orthoclase (K-feldspar) 6 Knife blade or glass plate
    Quartz 7 Knife blade or glass plate
    Topaz 8 Steel file
    Corundum 9 Steel file
    Diamond 10 Steel file
    Color one of the most obvious
    properties of a mineral, but not
    diagnostic
    Luster describes the appearance of
    light reflected from a minerals
    surface; 2 basic kinds: metallic and
    non-metallic
    Streak refers to the color or a
    mineral in powder form and is usually
    more diagnostic than the color of a
    large specimen
    Example: pyrite or fools gold vs. true
    gold
    How to streak
    Rub mineral vigorously against the
    surface of an unglazed white porcelain
    Minerals softer than the porcelain leave
    a streak, or line of fine powder
    Minerals harder than the porcelain, a
    fine powder can be made by crushing a
    mineral fragment; the powder is then
    examined against a white background

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