1. MINERALS AND THEIR PROPERTIES

2. WHAT IS A MINERAL? A MINERAL IS A: SOLID
NATURALLY OCCURING (made up of elements)
INORGANIC
CRYSTAL SHAPE (unique to the
mineral)
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION (elements bond together to make a compound)

3. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? Naturally Occurring = NOT man-made
Inorganic = NOT made of/from a living thing
Crystal Shape = Repeating pattern of atoms
Chemical Composition = chemical formula
Ex: Quartz has a chemical formula of SiO2

4. NOT A MINERAL? COAL IS NOT A MINERAL, WHY?
It is not inorganic because it formed from the remains of living organisms
It does not have a crystal shape

5. NOT A MINERAL? Pearls are organic because they are made from oysters.
PEARL IS ALSO NOT A MINERAL, WHY?
Pearls are organic because they are made from oysters.
They do not have a crystal shape

6. NOT A MINERAL? Glass does not a crystal shape.
GLASS IS ALSO NOT A MINERAL, WHY?
Glass does not a crystal shape.

7. NOT A MINERAL? 1: It is man-made (not naturally occurring)
STEEL IS ALSO NOT A MINERAL, WHY?
1: It is man-made (not naturally occurring)
2: It does not have a chemical composition
because it is a mixture of iron and carbon
3: It does not have a crystal shape

8. “Diamonds are Forever” Reading
Before you Read:
Review the definition of a mineral (SNICC)
After you Read:
Answer these questions:
Can the LifeGem diamonds be considered true minerals? Explain your answer.
How are these diamonds different than diamonds mined out of the ground?
Would you want to use this company for yourself or for a relative?

9. TWO GROUPS OF MINERALS Nonsilicate Minerals Silicate Minerals
Have both Silicon (Si) and
Oxygen (O) elements in them
Make up more than 90% of
Earth’s crust
Might have other elements in
them as well
Examples: Quartz (SiO2)
Talc Mg3Si4O10(OH)2
Do NOT contain Silicon and
Oxygen
Dividing into different classes
depending on elements in them
Examples: Copper (Cu)
Calcite (CaCO3)
Galena (PbS)

10. What Are Properties of Minerals???

11. 1. COLOR Impurities Many minerals have same color
Not reliable due to:
Impurities
Many minerals have same color
Some minerals have more than one color

12. COLORS OF FLUORITE
               
              
           
               

13. 2. HARDNESS The ability of a mineral to resist being scratched.
Relative to the hardness of other minerals and objects
2 scales
Field hardness scale
Moh’s hardness scale

14. HARDNESS FIELD HARDNESS SCALE Fingernail Copper Penny Steel Nail
Glass Plate
Steel File
                         

15. MOH’S HARDNESS SCALE Talc Gypsum Calcite Fluorite Apatite Feldspar
Quartz
Topaz
Corundum
Diamond

16. 3. LUSTER The way a mineral reflects light
Either Metallic or Nonmetallic
Never described as “shiny” (that is what luster means)

17. METALLIC LUSTERS
Shines like a metal: Chrome, Silver, Copper, Gold, Bronze, Lead, etc.

18. NONMETALLIC LUSTERS Brilliant (High Shine/Sparkly) Pearly or Silky
Glassy(Vitreous)
Waxy/Greasy
Dull
Earthy

19. 4. STREAK
Powdered residue left behind when rubbed across a porcelain tile
Only works for minerals with a hardness less than 7 (tile=7)
Streak may be different than outer color
More consistent/reliable than color

20. 5. CLEAVAGE The breaking of a mineral along flat surfaces
Can be 1,2, or 3 directional
3 Directions: Similar to sides of a cube or rhombus
Mica breaks into single sheets- 1 Directional

21. 6. FRACTURE Breaking of a mineral in an uneven or jagged fashion
“Splintery”-splits like wood
“Earthy”/Uneven
“Conchoidal”-curved
“Fibrous”- like fibers

22. 7. DENSITY = Mass per volume (g/mL)
Every mineral has its own unique density, regardless of its size
Ex: The density of any piece of gold will always be 19 g/mL
The density of any piece of silver will always be 10.5 g/mL

23. 8. CRYSTAL SHAPE Microscopic shape of crystals
Slow cooling = larger crystals
Fast cooling = smaller crystals
Cubic, Hexagonal, Octagonal, Rhomboid, Trapezoidal, etc

24. 9. SPECIAL PROPERTIES Magnetism (lodestone/magnetite)
Taste (Halite-salty)
Acid reaction (calcite)
Double refraction
Fluorescence (glow in UV)
Phosphorescence (glow continues)
Odor (Sulfur)
Radioactivity (Uraninite)

25. ScienceNow Diamond Factory
Diamond Factory Video
(click on “Watch Diamond Factory”)