Minerals

Minerals are pure substances. Hematite

…with definite atomic structures. Diamond and Graphite are both made out of the element CARBON (C).

Minerals are…  Solid substances  Crystal structure  From nature  Inorganic (NOT from living thing)

Rocks are a mixture of minerals and other substances.  This cookie represents a rock. The nuts andThe nuts and chocolate chips would represent the minerals.

Minerals can have more than one element. Sulfur (S) Halite Sodium (Na) and Chlorine (Cl) When two or more elements are bonded together, it is called a COMPOUND.

Types of minerals  There are two major types of minerals  Silicate minerals contain a combination of silicon and oxygen.  90% of the Earth’s crust are silicate minerals  An example is quartz.  Nonsilicate minerals do not have a combination of silicon and oxygen.  Examples include iron and sulfur.

Crystalline structure is the geometric pattern of atoms. quartz Atomic arrangement hexagonal

There are 8 main crystal shapes. 1. Isometric 2. Tetragonal 3. Orthorhombic 4. Orthorhombic 5. Orthorhombic 6. Monoclinic 7. Triclinic 8. Hexagonal 1. Isometric 2. Tetragonal 3. Orthorhombic 4. Orthorhombic 5. Orthorhombic 6. Monoclinic 7. Triclinic 8. Hexagonal

Minerals are identified by their properties, such as…  Color  Luster  Hardness  Streak  Cleavage  Fracture  Density  Other (florescence, magnetism…) Copper (Cu)

Colors are a clue, but colors can be misleading.

Luster is the way it reflects light.

Hardness is the resistance to scratching.

Streak is the color of the powder (mark) left on a streak plate.

Cleavage. A mineral has cleavage if it breaks along a flat surface.

Some minerals fracture - no regular pattern of breaking. (like a fractured bone) quartz

Density – how much matter (mass) in the amount of volume (space).  The bones below have the same volume but different densities.

Fluorescence is the ability to glow in the dark.

There are other characteristics, too. Magnetism Radioactivity magnetite cuprosklodowskite

What makes minerals gems?  Gems are rare and expensive.

What makes them ores?  Minerals are “ores” when there is enough to make it worth mining. Iron Ore

Mineral Uses, Anything not grown has been mined…

In your TV…  Minerals in Your Television  Chromite: plating Chromite  Wolframite: monitor Wolframite  Copper: wiring Copper  Quartz: electronics Quartz  Silver Silver

Beware. Mines are dangerous places!