Mineralogy Flashcards by Celine Tatco

What is a Mineral?

Naturally Occurring
Homogenous Solid
Definite Chemical Composition
Inorganic
Ordered atomic arrangement

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pertaining or relating to compound
that contains no carbon

Inorganic

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means crystalline, with three-dimensional periodic
arrays of precise geometric arrangement of atoms.

Ordered atomic arrangement

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products or those produced in the
laboratory

Synthetic Mineral

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consists of a single solid substance that cannot
be physically subdivided into simpler chemical
compounds

Homogenous solid

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Homogenous Solid excludes?

gases and liquid

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lacks consistent atomic order

Noncrystalline / Amorphous

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A homogenous solid possessing long-range, three dimensional internal order

Crystal

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an aggregate of minerals; can be composed of one kind of mineral (monomineralic) or different kinds on minerals (polymineralic)

Rock

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Minerals from which one or more metals can be extracted at a profit

Ore Minerals

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Minerals which are themselves used for one or more industrials purposes.

Industrial Minerals

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Minerals which have ornamental Value

Gems

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Qualities of a Gem

Beauty
Durability
Rarity
Fashionability
Portability

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Mineral -like materials that lacks a long range crystalline structure

Mineraloid

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example of Mineraloid

Amorphous minerals:
Opal, Obsidian, Volcanic glass, Impactites, Fulgurite, tektites

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Mineral species may have more than one variety which are distinguished by differences in color, habit (shape), or other properties

Mineral Variety

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Two or more minerals among which there is a range in chemical composition

Mineral Series

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A set of minerals with the same basic structure but different composition

Mineral Group

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a=b=c, α = β = γ = 90°

Cubic

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a = b ≠ c, α = β = γ= 90°

Tetragonal

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a ≠ b ≠ c, α = β = γ= 90°

Orthorhombic

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a = b = c, α = β = γ ≠ 90°

Rhombohedral

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a = b ≠ c, α = β = 90°, γ = 120°

Hexagonal

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a ≠ b ≠ c, α = γ = 90°, β ≠ 90°

Monoclinic

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a ≠ b ≠ c, α ≠ β ≠ γ

Triclinic

Mineral distribution in each crystal system (%)

Cubic = Tetragonal = Orthorhombic = Rhombohedral = Hexagonal = Monoclinic = Triclinic =

a1 = a2 =a3 ; all angles are 90 degrees

Cubic/ Isometric

a1 = a2 =a3 but not equal to c ; angles a1-3 to c are equal to 90 degrees but angles between a axes are equal to 60 degrees

Hexagonal

a1 - a2 are not equal to c ; all angles are 90 degrees

Tetragonal

a not equal to b and not equal to c, all angles are 90 degrees

Orthorhombic

a not equal to b and not equal to c, angle between a &b and b&c are equal to 90 degrees, angle between c&a > 90 degrees

Monoclinic

a not equal to b and not equal to c, all angles are not equal to 90 degrees

Triclinic

Common external morphology that a mineral assumes during an unobstructed growth wheter in isolated or aggregates of crystals

Mineral Habit / Structure

Fine, slender, needle-like crystals (for isolated and distinct crystals)

Acicular

exhibiting narrow bands of different colors as texture (for isolated and distinct crystals). this habit is common in carbonates

Banded

Forming very thin threads which resemble hair (for isolated and distinct crystals).

Capillary

Stout, column-like individuals (for isolated and distinct crystals)

Columnar

Forming long and thin little columns which resemble wire (for isolated and distinct crystals).

Filiform

Somewhat elongated crystals with well developed prism faces (for isolated and distinct crystals).

Prismatic

Crystals somewhat flattened in one direction (for isolated and distinct crystals).

Tabular

Rounded masses resembling to bunches of grapes (for mineral Aggregates).

Botryoidal

Plates approximately parallel about a common center (for mineral Aggregates)..

Concentric

Botryoidal mineral habit is common in?

Hematite and Malchite

Concentric mineral habit is common in?

Malchite

Separates from a thicker stem into several more slender ones, similar to branches which divides into smaller sheets. (for mineral Aggregates).

Dendritic

Common in Manganese Oxides

Dendritic

Crystal groups radiating from a center (for mineral Aggregates). This mineral habit is common in Azurite and Malachite

Divergent or Radiated

Surface covered a layer of small crystals (for mineral Aggregates). common in Quartz.

Drusy

group of parallel slender thread-like strands (for mineral Aggregates). it is common in Chlorite.

Fibrous

Separate easily into plates or leaves (for mineral Aggregates).

Foliated

Cavity line with small crystals(for mineral Aggregates).

Geode

Radiating individuals forming small spherical groups (for mineral Aggregates).

Globular

aggregates of large or small grains (for mineral Aggregates). Common in Minerals formed from crystal settling

Granular

Rounded masses similar to the botryoidal form but the protuberances are more flattened (mineral Aggregates).

Mammillary

Compact crystalline aggregates with no regular forms.

Massive

Splitting readily into exceedingly thin plates or sheets

Micaceous

Aggregate of small sphere the size of fish roe

Oolitic

Small globular aggregates about the size of peas or in round concretionary grains.

Pisolititc

rounded grape-like or kidney-shaped masses

Reniform

Lattice-like or network arrangement of slender columnar or threads

Reticulated

Grains having the size of granulated sugar grains.

Saccharoidal

resembling pendant cylinders or cones

Stalactitic

Radiating individuals forming star-like or Circular groups

Stellated

Property of a mineral surface which results from the manner it reflects the incident light.

Luster

appearance of a mineral in the reflected light

Luster

dazzling luster recognizable even at a considerable distance connected with smooth and generally even surface.

Splendent

Distinctly Observed only on closer observation and is generally related to an uneven sample

Shining

Feebly appearing luster even within a short distance

Weakly Shining

When only a feeble light is reflected by some of the minute aggregate parts constituting the surface

Glimmering

Surface does not reflect any light

Dull

Bright reflectance of a metallic surface

Metallic luster

Duller resistance observed when most of the light passes into the mineral and only a small portion of the incident light is reflected from the surface

Nonmetallic Luster

glass -like luster, piece of broken glass

Vitreous or glassy luster

Brilliant, almost oily

Adamantine or luster of the diamond

Luster of a piece of resin, greasy luster

Resinous or waxy

Common when a mineral has a very perfect cleavage and hence partially separated into thin plates.

Pearly

Characteristic of some mineral in fibrous aggregates

Silky

Relative ability of minerals to allow light to pass through them

Diaphaneity

all object maybe distinctly recognized through a large or small piece of it.

Transparent

a blurred image of the object can be seen through a thin small piece of it.

Translucent

no perceptible degree of light is transmitted even through the thinnest piece.

Opaque

Ratio of velocity of light in the air and its lesser velocity in the dense medium.

Refractive index

when the light passes from one medium to another of greater refractive index, ___________, that is bent towards normal to the surface

Reflected

light moves in all directions with equal velocity.

Isotropic

includes non-crystalline substances such as gases, liquid and glass. also includes isometric crystals.

Isotropic

has a single refractive index

Isotropic substance

velocity of light varies with the crystallographic direction and except for special orientations.

Anisotropic

All crystals except isometric system are

Anisotropic

______ refractive indices can be measured in any crystal section

Two

Wave motion is constrained to vibrate in a single plane

Plane polarized

Light passing through an anisotropic crystal in all but a few special directions, is resolved into two polarized rays vibrating at right angles to each other.

Double refraction