Minerals Flashcards
What is a mineral?
A mineral is a naturally occurring inorganic solid with a definite chemical composition and orderly arrangement of atoms
What are the 5 characteristics of minerals?
Naturally occurring - Definite Chemical Composition - Crystalline Form - Solid - Inorganic
What is a solid?
A solid has a definite shape and volume
What are native elements?
A native element is made up of only one element.
What determines the size of a crystal?
The pressure and the temperature from which it forms.
How does a large crystal form?
A large crystal forms when magma crystallizes slowly. Ex. Andesite
How does a medium size crystal form?
A medium-sized crystal forms when magma closer to the surface cools faster.
How does a small crystal form?
A small crystal forms when lava cools quickly near/on the earth’s surface.
How do minerals form?
Hot solutions - Cold solutions - Dry conditions - Not so dry conditions.
How can you identify different minerals?
Streak - Color - Luster - Density - Hardness.
What are the special properties?
Texture - Reaction with acid - Fluoresence - Magnetic - Odor.
Halite
Non-metallic (Luster) - Cleavage - Salt (food additive) melts ice (uses) - Salty & reacts w/ acid (properties).
Calcite
Non-metallic (Luster) - Cleavage - Cement, Polarizing Prisms (uses) - bubbles w/ acid (properties).
Talc
Non-metallic (Luster) - Cleavage - Talcum powder, soapstone, Baby powder (uses) - not acidic, soapy, greasy (properties).
Pyrite (Fools gold)
Metallic (Luster) - Fracture - ore of sulfur (uses) - not acidic, looks like gold (properties).
Biotite Mica
Non-metallic (Luster) - Cleavage - Electrical insulator (uses) - perfect 1-dimensional cleavage (properties).
Magmatite
Metallic (Luster) - Fracture - ore of iron (uses) - magnetic, does not react to acid (properties).
Fluorite
Non-metallic (Luster) - Cleavage - hydrofluoric acid, painting pigments (uses) - cleavage in 4 distinct directions (properties).
Quartz
Non-metallic (Luster) - Fracture - Jewelry, electronics (uses) - hexagonal, does not react w/ acid (properties).
What is an ore?
An ore is a source from which valuable matter is extracted and usually sold for profit.
Hardest mineral? Softest mineral?
Hardest: diamond
Softest: Talc
Mohs scale for fingernail, glass, streak
Fingernail - 2.5
Glass - 5.5
Streak plate -7
Ruby
Corundum - 9
Emerald
Beryl - 7.5
Sapphire
Corundum - 9
Diamond
10
Peridot
Olivine - 6.5
Amethyst
Quartz - 7
Mohs scale
Talc 1 - Gypsum 2 - Fingernail 2.5 - Calcite 3 - Penny 3.5 - Fluorite 4 - Iron nail 4.5 - Apatite 5 - Glass/Porcelain 5.5 - Feldspar 6 - Steel file 6.5 - Quartz, Streak Plate 7 - Topaz 8 - Corundum 9 - Diamond 10.
Magma vs lava
Although both magma and lava are molten rock lava erupts onto the earth’s surface while magma is underground.
2 main families of rock-forming rocks?
Silicates and Nonsilicates
Silicates
The most abundant mineral group. The minerals have silicon and oxygen in them. Ex. Quartz, Feldspar, and Olivine.
Nonsilicates
Do not contain silicon. Ex. Calcite, Halite. Makes up only about 5% of the earth’s crust.
What are the sources and uses of minerals?
Metallic, Nonmetallic, and Rare minerals.
Metallic minerals resources
Ores of the elements iron and aluminum are among the most common/abundant metallic mineral resources used every day. Iron is the main ingredient of steel, and steel is used to construct buildings, cars, bridges, etc.
Rare Metal resources
Gold - occurs in a ratio of 1 part gold to 4 parts.
Gold is used to make jewelry and conduct electricity.
Nonmetallic Mineral resources
Raw materials used for road construction, ceramic products, building stone, & fertilizers.
Ex. Sand - commonly made up of the mineral quartz.
