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Geology 101 > Minerals > Flashcards

Minerals Flashcards

1
Q

How many known mineral types are there?

A

~4500

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2
Q

How many minerals are common enough to be considered rock-formers?

A

40

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3
Q

How many minerals are common all over the earth?

A

12

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4
Q

How many minerals make up 90% of the earth’s crustal weight?

A

10

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5
Q

Most minerals are a combination of what?

A

Oxygen (O) and Silicon (Si)

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6
Q

What are the most abundant elements in the Lithosphere?

A

Oxygen (O), Silicon (Si), and Aluminum (Al)

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7
Q

Essential Mineral

A

Must be present to make a specific rock.

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8
Q

Accessory Mineral

A

Doesn’t matter whether or not it’s in a rock and doesn’t change the type of rock.

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9
Q

Mineral

must be…

A
  • Inorganic (non-living)
  • Natural
  • Solid
  • Contain an orderly structure of chemical composition
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10
Q

What are the 2 mineral chemical classes?

A

Silicates and Carbonates

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11
Q

What is the most abundant mineral group and makes up 50% of the earth’s crust?

A

Feldspar

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12
Q

What is the second most common mineral in the continental crust?

A

Quartz

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13
Q

What is the basic building block of geology?

A

Silica Tetrahedra

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14
Q

What are the 2 silicate subgroups?

A

Ferromagnesian and Non-Ferromagnesian

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15
Q

Ferromagnesian

A
  • Contains Iron (Fe) and Magnesium (Mg)
  • Dark in color
  • Specific gravity between 3.2 and 3.6

MAFIC

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16
Q

Non-Ferromagnesian

A
  • DOES NOT contain Iron (Fe) and Magnesium (Mg)
  • Light in color
  • Average specific gravity of 2.7

FELSIC

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17
Q

Mafic

A

Ferromagnesian (dark colored)

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18
Q

Felsic

A

Non-Ferromagnesian (light colored)

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19
Q

Ferromagnesian Silicates (basic rock-formers)

A
  • Olivine
  • Augite (Pyroxene)
  • Hornblende (Amphibole)
  • Biotite (Mica)
  • Garnet (dark)
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20
Q

Olivine

A
  • Vitreous luster
  • Olive-Green color
  • Scratches glass
  • No cleavage
  • Granular masses
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21
Q

Augite

A
  • Vitreous luster
  • Dark Green or Black color
  • Scratches glass
  • Shows cleavage
  • Stubby crystal
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22
Q

Hornblende

A
  • Vitreous luster
  • Dark Green or Black color
  • Scratches glass
  • Shows cleavage
  • Hexagonal and elongated
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23
Q

Biotite

A
  • Vitreous/Pearly luster
  • Dark Green, Brown, or Black color
  • Does not scratch glass
  • Shows cleavage
  • Forms thin elastic sheets
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24
Q

Garnet

A
  • Vitreous/Resinous luster
  • Dark Red or Reddish Brown color
  • Scratches glass
  • No cleavage
  • Brittle

*Also comes in Felsic light colors

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25
Non-Ferromagnesian Silicates (basic rock-formers)
* Feldspar * Muscovite (Mica) * Quartz * Talc * Kaolinite (Kaolin) * Garnet (light)
26
Feldspar
* Vitreous luster * White, Cream, Pink, Gray, or Reddish Brown color * Scratches glass * Shows cleavage * Comes in Plagioclase and Orthoclase (Potassium K Feldspar)
27
Muscovite
* Vitreous/Silky/Pearly luster * Colorless, Green, Gray, or Brown color * Does not scratch glass * Shows cleavage * Thin flexible elastic sheets
28
Quartz
* Vitreous luster * Colorless or any color * Scratches glass * No cleavage * Hexagonal crystal with striation marks and conchoidal fractures
29
Talc
* Pearly/Greasy/Dull luster * Pale Green color * Does not scratch glass * Shows cleavage * Soapy feel
30
Kaolinite
* Dull/Earthy luster * White color * Does not scratch glass * No cleavage * Earthy smell when damp
31
Non-Silicate Mineral groups
* Carbonates * Oxides * Sulfides * Sulfates * Halides
32
Carbonates
* Calcite | * Dolomite
33
Calcite
* Vitreous luster * Colorless, White, or variety of color * Does not scratch glass * Shows cleavage * Fizzes with hydrochloric acid (HCl) and double refraction
34
Dolomite
* Vitreous/Pearly luster * Colorless, White, Pink, Gray, Greenish, or Yellow-Brown color * Does not scratch glass * Shows cleavage * Crystals common, fizzes with hydrochloric acid (HCl) in powder form
35
Oxides
* Hematite * Limonite (Goethite) * Magnetite
36
Hematite
* Sub-Metallic/Earthy luster * Red or Red-Brown color * Does not scratch glass * No cleavage * Blood colored streak
37
Limonite
* Earthy luster * Yellow, Yellow-Brown, or Brownish-Black color * Does not scratch glass * No cleavage * Earthy masses
38
Magnetite
* Metallic Luster * Black color * Scratches glass * No cleavage * Strongly magnetic
39
Sulfides
* Pyrite * Chalcopyrite * Galena
40
Pyrite
* Metallic luster * Brass-Yellow color * Scratches glass * No cleavage * Cubic crystals with striation marks "Fool's Gold"
41
Chalcopyrite
* Metallic luster * Brass-Yellow color * Does not scratch glass * No cleavage * Usually massive
42
Galena
* Bright Metallic luster * Shiny Lead-Gray color * Does not scratch glass * Shows cleavage * Perfect cubic cleavage
43
Sulfates
• Gypsum
44
Gypsum
* Vitreous/Pearly luster * Colorless, White, Gray, Yellowish-Orange, or Light Brown color * Does not scratch glass * Shows cleavage * Fracture may be fibrous
45
Halides
• Halite
46
Halite
* Vitreous luster * Colorless, White, Gray, Yellow, or Red color * Does not scratch glass * Shows cleavage * Tastes like salt and perfect cubic cleavage
47
Ferrous minerals contain ______?
Iron (Fe)
48
Vitreous
Glassy
49
Luster
The way the mineral shines, metallic or non-metallic.
50
Why is color a poor way to identify minerals?
1) Many minerals come in the same color. 2) Any 1 mineral can come in a variety of colors. 3) Surfaces can tarnish due to oxidation.
51
Streak
The true color of the mineral in powder form.
52
How many crystal systems are there?
6
53
Crystalline
You can see the crystal with the naked eye.
54
Massive
You need the help of magnification to see the crystal.
55
Amorphous
No crystal shape at all.
56
Hardness
Fingernail - 2.5 Copper - 3.5 Glass Plate - 5.5 Streak Plate - 6.5
57
Cleavage
Breaks upon points of weakness.
58
Fracture
Unpredictable break.
59
Conchoidal Fracture
Curvy shell-like break.
60
Specific Gravity
Weight density. >4 usually metal
61
Acid testing with HCl is for what group of non-silicates?
Carbonates
62
What are some other tests for mineral identification?
Taste, Smell, Sound, Magnetism, Radioactivity, Optical, Phosphorescence (continual glow), Fluorescence, and Flame Test
63
Diaphaneity
Ability to transmit light. * Transparent * Translucent * Opaque
64
Tenacity
Resistance to being broken or bent. * Brittle (shatters) * Elastic (returns to its original shape) * Flexible (doe not return to its original shape)
65
The 4 C's for Diamonds
Cut Color Clarity Carat
66
Lithosphere
The solid crust of the earth.

Geology 101 (3 decks)

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