2. What is a mineral?
Mineral- a naturally occurring, inorganic, solid that has a specific crystal structure and chemical composition.
Naturally occurring- made by the earth
Mineral- quartz, sulfur, diamond, gold, silver
Not a mineral- brick, glass, steel (man-made)
Inorganic- made of nonliving material
Solid- Molecules are tightly packed into a rigid structure.
Crystal Structure- the repeating pattern that the particles within a mineral form.
Specific Chemical Composition- the elements that make the minerals have a definite chemical formula.

3. Characteristics to classify minerals:
1.Color
2.Streak- the powder of the minerals
3.Luster- the way a mineral shines
4.Density-heaviness
5.Hardness- scratch glass, scratch steel, can scrape with fingernails...
6.Breaks-
Cleavage/fracture

4. Color
Fluorite
Sulfur
Orthoclase Feldspar
Rose Quartz

5. Streak- the powder of the minerals.
Streak is determined by scraping the mineral on a streak plate and observing the color left on the plate.

6. Luster- the way a mineral shines or reflects light.
Types of lusters to select from:
Metallitic luster-(graphite)
Glassy luster-(quartz)
Waxy, pearly, greasy(talc)
Dull luster (kaoloinite)

7. Density- how heavy the mineral is
Galena- extremely heavy mineral
Also used as the rare mineral “unobtainium” in the move Avatar.

8. Hardness- if the mineral can scratch things or be scratched.
Test using Mohs Hardness Scale
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9. How the mineral Breaks- a mineral breaks in one of two ways:
1. Fracture- the minerals breaks in no specific or irregular way.
Rose quartz
Hematite
Olivine
2. Cleavage- when a mineral splits into a pattern because of the arrangement of the atoms.
Mica- breaks in thin sheets
Calcite-squared edges
Halite is cubic

10. Other Properties
Some minerals have other unique characteristics that determine the name.
Smell - Sulfur smells like rotten eggs
Magnetism - Magnetite is magnetic
Taste - Halite tastes salty
Fluorescence- glows under UV lights
Franklin County, NJ has the most Florescent mineral mined collection in the world!!!!

11. Ways We Use Minerals
Over 40 minerals go into making electrical appliances like these...
Talc
Gold, silver, diamonds,
rubies, emeralds, etc.
Kaolinite
Fluorite

12. The Economy of Minerals
Ore – A rock or mineral that contains a valuable substance which can be mined for profit.
Gem – Valuable minerals that are prized for their rarity and beauty.
Iron
Ore
Diamond
Silver
Topaz
Gold
Ore
Sapphire

13. Rocks

14. What is the difference between rocks and minerals?
Rocks are made up of mixtures of minerals and other materials.
-Example: Granite is made up of...
Hornblend
Orthoclase Feldspar
Quartz

16. Two Types of Igneous Rock
Igneous Rocks
Rocks that are formed from magma (melted rock under the earth’s surface) or lava (melted rock on the earth’s surface).
Two Types of Igneous Rock
Intrusive
formed inside the earth(magma)
Extrusive
formed on the earth (lava)
Granite
Obsidian
Pumice
Gabbro
Scoria

17. Texture and Crystals of rocks of Igneous Rocks
A. Texture- the size of the grains that make up the rock
Coarse Grain
(large grains)
Fine Grain
(small grains, like sand)
Granite
Basalt
B. Crystals- depends on how fast the rocks cooled
Obsidian
No Crystals- cooled too quickly for crystals to form or
Small Crystals- cooled too quickly to form large crystals
Large Crystals- cooled slowly underground

18. Rocks that change under the Earth’s surface from heat and pressure.
Metamorphic Rocks
Rocks that change under the Earth’s surface from heat and pressure.
Characteristics of metamorphic rocks:
Foliated-layers
Nonfoliated- no layers
Marble
Gneiss

19. Sedimentary Rocks
Rocks that are formed through a series of processes: erosion, deposition, compaction and cementation.
Erosion- particles carried away by wind or water.
Deposition- particles placed in an area.
Compaction- particles squeezed under pressure.
Cementation- particles are glued together

20. Three Types of Sedimentary Rocks:
A. Clastic- formed from pieces/fragments of rocks being squeezed together.
Examples:
Sandstone
Conglomerate
B. Organic- made from remains of plants and/or animals.
Shale
Limestone
C. Chemical- formed from minerals dissolving in water and then forms into crystals.
Geodes

21. Rock Cycle-
a series of processes on the earth’s surface and under the surface that slowly change rocks from one type to another.