ROCKS AND MINERALS Flashcards
They make up Earth’s solid part and provide us valuable resources
Minerals
A small group of these minerals make up almost 90% of the rocks of Earth’s crust
Common Rock-forming Minerals
5 Requirements that must be met in order for a substance to be classified as a mineral
Naturally occuring, Inorganic, Solid, Definite Chemical Composition, and Ordered Crystal Structure
To be considered common rock-forming mineral, it must be? (3 factors)
✓ one of the most abundant minerals in Earth’s crust
✓one of the original minerals present at the time of a crustal rock’s formation
✓an important mineral in determining classification of a rock
The study of minerals and their properties (chemical and physical)
Mineralogy
2 Properties of Mineral
Chemical and Physical
Usually the property to identify minerals easily. It is the result of the way minerals absorb light
Color
Color of the mineral in powder form
Streak
Refers to the measure of the mineral’s resistance to scratching. Moh’s scale is used to identify this
Hardness
10 is the rate of hardness and 1 is the rate of softness
Moh’s Scale
Used to describe how minerals break into pieces
Cleavage and Fractures
Some minerals split along flat surfaces when struck hard
Cleavage
Other minerals break unevenly along rough or curved surfaces
Fracture
Crystal lattices; tells how a mineral’s crystal are arranged
Crystalline Structure
form regualr repeating 3D crystal lattice
Crystal Solid
forms aggregates that have particular order or arrangement
Amorphous Solid
indicates the extent of light that can pass through the mineral
Transparency / Diaphaneity
Ability of a mineral to attract or repel other minerals
Magnetism
level of resistance or reaction of minerals to such as crushing, bending, breaking, or tearing
Tenacity
Reaction of mineral to light to determine how brilliant or dull it is
Luster
It shines like a metal
Metallic
They are shiny because they are transparent or semi-transparent
Non-Metallic
A distinct smell of a mineral that is usually released from a chemical reaction when subjected to water, heat, air, or friction
Odor
a measure of the density of a mineral
Specific Gravity
This classification was used in 1848 by who?
James Dwight Dana
8 Classes of Chemical Composition
Silicate, Carbonate, Sulphate, Halide, Oxide, Sulphide, Phosphate, And Native Element
A class that is largest and most abundant group containing Si and O with some Al, Mg, Fe, and Ca.
Silicate Class
A class mostly found deposited in marine environments.
Carbonate Class
forms in areas with high evaporation rates and where salty waters slowly evaporate
Sulphate Class
minerals containing halogen elements combined with one or more elements
Halide Class
A diverse class formed as precipitates close to Earth’s surface or as oxidation products of minerals during the process of weathering
Oxide Class
A class that has important metals such as copper, lead and silver which are considered economically significant
Sulfide Class
A class that contains minerals with phosphorus. Considered as important biological mineral found in teeth and bones in many animals
Phosphate Class
A class that contains metals and intermetallic elements, semimetals nonmetals or natural alloys and constituents of a few rare meteorites
Native Element Class
