POD #1 Mineral Preview What are minerals? Where could you find minerals in nature? Are rocks and minerals the same thing? Why or why not.

Explain what an element is and what it has to do with minerals. POD # 2 Minerals Explain what an element is and what it has to do with minerals. How do minerals grow? Explain at least three ways we use minerals today. Write down as many minerals as you can.

What are Minerals?

Naturally Occurring Formed by processes in the natural world Materials made by people are NOT minerals; plastic, brick, glass, and steel Example: quartz forms naturally as molten material cools and hardens below the crust

Inorganic Non-living, not man-made The mineral cannot form from materials that were once part of a living thing. Coal is formed in the crust but it is NOT a mineral because it comes from the remains of plants

Solid Always a solid, with a definite volume and shape

Crystal Structure The particles of a mineral line up in a repeating pattern The repeating pattern forms a solid called a CRYSTAL

Definite Chemical Composition A mineral always contains certain elements in specific proportions. Usually made up of two or more elements, most pure solid elements are metals.

Identifying Minerals

How are Minerals formed? Water Magma

The characteristics of an object that can be observed or measured. Physical Properties The characteristics of an object that can be observed or measured.

The same mineral can come in a variety of colors. Changes in color can be caused by weathering and impurities.

Color is not usually a reliable indicator of a minerals identity.

Luster is the way a surface reflects light

Minerals have metallic (shiny) or nonmetallic (dull) luster.

Streak is the color of a mineral in powder form. Streak color more reliable in identifying a mineral.

Streak Rub the mineral against a piece of unglazed porcelain called a streak plate. The mark on the glass is the streak. Streak color is not always the same color as the outside.

Cleavage is when a mineral breaks along a flat surface. Breakage The way a mineral breaks is determined by the arrangement of its atoms. Cleavage is when a mineral breaks along a flat surface.

Breakage Fracture is when a mineral breaks unevenly along curved or irregular surfaces.

Hardness refers to a minerals resistance to being scratched.

Hardness Scientists use Mohs’ hardness scale to determine the hardness of minerals. The scale ranges from 1 (softest) to 10 (hardest). If the reference minerals scratches the next mineral, it is harder.

Density Density is the measure of how much matter there is in a given amount of space. Mass per unit volume. Density is measured in g/cm3.

Density Water’s density is 1g/cm3 and is used as a reference point for other substances.

Properties particular to only a few types of minerals. Fluorescence Special Properties Properties particular to only a few types of minerals. Fluorescence Chemical reaction

Special Properties Optical properties Magnetism Radioactivity

Are Minerals Renewable Resources? No minerals are non-renewable resources because it can be used up faster than it can be replaced in nature, more than a person’s lifespan. Each U.S. citizen consumes about 40,000 pounds of new minerals each year! For… building materials for homes cars, roads, appliances, computers, fertilizers on food we eat, electricity, etc….