Mineral groups

Question 1

Silicates

Answer 1

Most common mineral group Composed of Silicon and Oxygen
Have the same fundamental building block, the silicon-oxygen tetrahedron
Negative ion (anion)
Most silicate minerals have a net negative charge
Positive ions (cations) balance the charge by bonding with the unshared oxygen ions in the tetrahedron

Question 2

Light silicates

Answer 2

Generally light in color
Noticeably less dense than dark silicates
Contain varying amounts of aluminum, potassium, calcium, and sodium rather than iron and magnesium

Question 3

Feldspar

Answer 3

Most common mineral in Earth’s crust
Potassium feldspar - contains K

Question 4

Quartz

Answer 4

2nd most common mineral in Earth’s crust
Only common silicate mineral that consists entirely of silicon and oxygen
Occurs in a variety of colors due to impurities

Question 5

Muscovite

Answer 5

Common member of the mica family
Cleavage in one direction
Historically used as window “glass”
Now used in cosmetics, electronics and automotive industries

Question 6

Clay minerals

Answer 6

Originate as products of the chemical breakdown (chemical weathering) of other silicate minerals
Clay minerals make up a large percentage of the surface material (soil)

Question 7

Dark silicates

Answer 7

Generally darker in color and denser than light silicates
Contain varying amounts Fe and Mg

Question 8

Olivine Group

Answer 8

Family of high temperature silicate minerals, are black to olive green in color and have a glassy luster and conchoidal fracture

Question 9

Pyroxene Group

Answer 9

Hornblends is the most common member
Found in igneous rocks, where it often makes up the dark portion of an otherwise light colored rock
Often forms elongated crystals. This helps distinguishes it from pyroxene group, which forms rather blocky crystals

Question 10

Biotite

Answer 10

Dark, iron rich member of the mica family like other micas, biotite possesses a sheet structure that gives it excellent cleavage in one direction Amphibole

Question 11

Non silicates

Answer 11

All other minerals fall into these groups
Grouped based on anion present or can occur as single elements

Question 12

Non renewable resource

Answer 12

Process that create them are so slow that significant deposits take millions of years to accumulate

Question 13

Renewable resources

Answer 13

Replenished over relatively short time

Question 14

Ore deposit

Answer 14

Naturally occurring concentration of one or more metallic minerals that can be extracted economically