MINERALS Flashcards
1.1-1.6
A mineral to a rock is what an atom is to a
molecule
Rock definition
A rock is a solid consisting of an aggregate of mineral grains, pieces of older rocks, or a mass of natural glass
what are minerals
building blocks of the planet
make up most rocks and sediment
how many known minerals
4000
mineral definition
a homogeneous, naturally occurring, solid, inorganic* substance with a definable chemical composition and an internal structure characterized by an orderly arrangement of atoms, ions, or molecules in a lattice
Naturally occurring definition and exceptions
form naturally from earth processes
not man made
lab grown minerale are known as synthetic minerals
3 types of earth processes
solidification
precipitation
formed by organisms
Inorganic* (difference between made by an organism and organic)
organic contains carbon-carbon or carbon hydrogen bonds.
Organic mineral exceptions
diamond, graphite
a solid lacking internal structure
glass
crystalline structure
atoms occupy fixed positions in a grid called a lattice
What is a crystal
a crystal is a single continuous piece of crystalline solid, typically bounded by flat crystal faces
how do crystal faces grow
they grow naturally as the minerals form and reflect atomic structure
equivalent crystal faces found on two samples of the same mineral
always bear the same angular relationship
mineral properties are determined by
the geometry of the atomic packing and the nature of chemical bonding
the way elements are packed into a crystal lattice depends upon
the size and the charge of the ions of that element
are anions usually bigger than cations
yes, anions are usually bigger
a large central cation requires
a larger number of anions
a small central cations requires
a smaller number of anions
the two polymorphs of carbon are
graphite and diamond
the diamond lattice is
tetrahedral
the graphite lattice is in
sheets
how do crystals grow
atoms attach to the outer surface
in an open cavity crystal faces grow
perfectly
early crystals act as seeds
for further mineral growth
types of crystals (how they encountered other crystals)
ephedra’s, anhedral, subhedral
euhedral defintion
all perfect edges
anhedral
no perfect edges
subhedral
some perfet edges
two types of mineral properties
chemical and physical
9 ways to identify minerals
color
streak
luster
hardness
specific gravity
crystal habit
cleavage
reaction to acid
special properties
describe using colors rule
don’t use one mineral to describe another
name of the hardness scale
mohs hardness scale
mohs hardness scale is directly linked to
atomic bond strenght
hard minerals can scratch
soft minerals
what is streak
a property where a mineral leaves a crushed powder on an unglazed porcelain plate
minerals leave a different streak than
their outward color
define luster
a property that refers to the way that a mineral surface scatters light
2 main subdivisions of luster
metallic and nonmetallic
specific gravity definition
the density of the mineral as defined by the ratio of the weight of a volume and the weight of an equal volume of water at 4 degrees celcuis
what is hefting
lifting minerals in your hands to gain a sense of specific gravity
crystal habit refers to
the shape of a single crystal with well formed faces, or to an aggregate of many well formed crystals
List common geometric shapes that define crystal habit
cubic
prismatic bladed
platy
needle like
fibrous
list special properties
effervescence (reactivity with acid)
magnetism
taste
smell
feel
striations (grooves)
marking on paper
Mineral associated with effervescence
calcium carbonate
Minerals associated with magnetism
magnetite
pyrite
hematite
Mineral associated with taste
halite
Mineral associated with smell
sulfur
Mineral associated with feel
talc
Mineral associated with striations
plagioclase
Mineral associated with marking on paper
graphite
different minerals break in
different ways
what is cleavage
the tendency for a mineral to break along lattice planes with weaker atomic bonds
a mineral has cleavage if
it breaks to form distinct planar surfaces that have a specific orientation
surface a mineral cleaves on is a
cleavage plane
halite breaks into (shape)
cubes
Calcite breaks into (shape)
rhombs
cleavage planes may be hard to distinguish from
crystal faces
minerals that have no lattice planes of weakness have _____ and will_____
bonds that are equally strong in all directions
fracture instead of cleave
What are sulfides
metal cation to sulfide anion
what is a sulfide anion
s2-
pyrite group and formula
sulfides (fes2)
galena group and formula
sulfides (Pbs)
sulfides have
metallic luster and high specific gravity
what are Oxides
metal cation oxygen anion
what is an oxygen anion
O-
Hematite group and formula
Fe2O3 Oxides
Magnetite group and formula
Fe3O4 oxides
hematite and Magnetite have a
dark, opaque, sub metallic to metallic luster
what are halides
the anion is a halogen
list Halide anions (halogens)
cl-
f-
I-
Br-
Halite group and formula
halide NaCl
fluoride group and formula
Caf2 Halide
Halite special properties
Halite is a mineral that usually forms in arid climates where ocean water evaporates
what are sulphates
metal cation sulfate anion
what is sulfate
so4^2-
sulfates often form by
precipitation out of water at or near the earths surface
Gypsum group and formula
CaSO4*H20 sulfates
Anhydrite group and formuka
CaSo4 sulfates
what are carbonates
anion is carbonate Co3^2-
Calcite group and formula
carbonates CaCo3
dolomite group and formula
CaMg[co3]2
carbonates properties
soft minerals that effervescence in dilute hydrochloric acid (HCL)
limestone is formed entirely out of
Calcite
shells and corals are mainly formed from what group of mineral
carbonates
what are native metals
Pure element (that is a metal)
copper gold and silver group
native metals
graphite diamond and sulfur group
native metals
what are silicates
contain silicate anion
silicate anion formula
SiO4^4-
what percent of continental crust is silicates
95%
7 groups /classes of minerals
sulfides
oxides
halides
sulfates
carbonates
native metals
silicates
5 types of silicates
independent tetrahedra
single chain
double chain
sheet silicates
framework silicates
the difference between the subgroups of silicates are based on the
arrangement of the silica tetrahedral
(how they share oxygen atoms)
Independent tetrahedra share _ oxygen atoms with an Si:O ratio of _
0
1:4
single chain silicates share _ oxygen atoms with an Si:O ratio of _
2
1:3
double chain silicates share _ oxygen atoms with an Si:O ratio of _
2 or 3
2:7
sheet silicates share _ oxygen atoms with an Si:O ratio of _
3
2:5
framework silicates share _ oxygen atoms with an Si:O ratio of _
4
1:2
Independent tetrahedra silicates are bonded by
cations
Olivine and garnet silicate subgroup
independent tetrahedra
does independent tetrahedra have cleavage
no bonds are equal in all directions
pyroxene silicate subgroup
single chain
strength of single chain silicates
very strong
amphibole silicate subgroup
double chain
in sheet silicates other elements
fit between the sheets
sheet silicates cleave in what way
parallel to the sheets
micah silicate subgroup
sheet silicates
feldspar and quartz silicate subgroup
framework silicates
in plagioclase and k feldspar contain
aluminum or other elements in the center of some tetrahdra
clay minerals silicate subgroup
sheet silicates
clay particles are soft and less than
4 micro meters large
kaolinite and smentite subsubgroup
clay minerals
kaolinite has a _ ratio of
1:1 TO
silicate (tetrahedral)
and aluminate (octahedral)
Smentite has a _ ratio of
1:2 TOT
of silicate(tetrahedral)
aluminate (octahedral)
and water molecules/cations
economic uses of halite
table salt
road salt
abundant
economic uses of gypsum
wallboard and plaster
cement
agriculture
glass making
soft and easy to mine
economic uses of magnetite
iron and magnetic material
economic uses of galena
lead
economic uses of graphite
pencils
economic uses of garnet
very hard used as an abrasive in industrial applications
5 mineral formation ways
solidification from a melt
precipitation in water
diffusion
biomineralization
precitipitation from gas
solidification
freezing from melt
minerals grow as temperature drops
lava cooling on the surface
magma cooling underground
precipitation in water
atoms, molecules or ions dissolved in water bind together and separate out
happens when water becomes saturated to a point at which the water can no longer maintain a buffer between them
chemical changes
evaporation can induce
saturation
what is diffusion
solid state diffusion is the movement of atoms or ions through a solid to arrange in to a new crystal structure
slow process
high P and T
what is Biomineralization
living organisms can cause minerals to precipitate
CaCO3
precipitation from gas
minerals can precitipitate directly from gases around a volcanic vent
fumarole and sulfur
Mineral checklist
naturally occurring
solid
inorganic
defineable chemical composition
crystal lattice
is ice a minerals why
yes meets checlist
is water a mineral why
no not solid no crystal lattice
is plastic a mineral why
no only soliud
is bricks a mineral why
no not naturally occurring
is salt a mineral why
yes meets all
is sugar a minerals why
no organic
is glass a mineral why
no, lacking crystal lattice
