DO NOW Talk with your table: Imagine you just learned that there are minerals in the dirt in your backyard. What factors will you need to consider before you decide if you want to remove them or not?

DO NOW 1.Hand in HW (Mining for Minerals). 2.Read the first page of the Mining for M&Ms lab and write a hypothesis.

DO NOW: What do the minerals on your table have in common?

What is a Mineral? A Mineral has 4 Characteristics : 1.Solid 2.Crystalline Structure (solid, geometric forms of minerals created by a repeating pattern of atoms) 3.Non-Living 4.Formed by Nature (not man made)

What is a Mineral Made out of? Atoms - smallest particle that can exist of a substance Elements - a pure substance that cannot easily be broken down Compounds - different elements combine to form larger substances Crystals - solid, geometric forms of minerals created by a repeating pattern of atoms Minerals

Examples of Minerals

Most minerals can be classified based upon their chemical composition (the chemicals that make them up) Composition of Minerals

Minerals can be divided into 2 major groups: 1.Silicate minerals 2.Nonsilicate minerals

Made of silicon and oxygen 90% of Earth’s crust Examples: – Feldspars – Biotite Mica – Quartz

Do not contain silicon and oxygen Examples include: Copper Gold Silver

Identifying Minerals Color Luster Streak Cleavage Fracture Hardness – Mohs’ Scale 1-10, talc-diamond Density Special Characteristics Minerals can be identified by their characteristics.

Minerals come in a variety of colors. Some colors are due to factors such as impurities and weather conditions. 1.) Color

2. Luster The way a mineral reflects the light. A mineral’s luster can be: – Metallic (shiny) – Vitreous (glassy) – Pearly (opalescent)

Metallic luster

Vitreous

Pearly

3.) Streak This is the color a mineral appears when it is rubbed against an unglazed piece of porcelain Streak Test

The way that a mineral breaks. Some break into flat sheets, such as Mica Others break in angles, such as diamonds 4.) Cleavage

5.) Fracture The tendency of some minerals to break unevenly along curved or irregular surfaces

This is a mineral’s resistance to being scratched. Some minerals can be scratched easily, such as talc, while others are nearly impossible to scratch, such as diamonds. 6.) Hardness

7.) Density This is how much matter is in a given space. Mineral density varies Example: Gold’s density is much greater than mica’s.

Some minerals can be i dentified by other characteristics such as: Fluorescence – glow under UV light Chemical reaction – Fizzing when combined w/acid Optical Properties – Calcite will cause double images Radioactivity – Contain radium or uranium Magnetism- attract iron Taste – Salty, bitter, sour 8.) Special Properties

Fluorescence

Mining Ore - Large enough deposit of an element to gain a profit.

2 Types of Mining 1.) Surface Mining Removal of minerals or other materials at or near the Earth’s surface. Examples: – Open pits – Strip mines – Quarries Materials mined in this way include copper ores and bauxite.

Open Pit

Strip Mine

Quarry

2 Types of Mining 2.) Deep Mining (Subsurface) Drilling deep passageways below Earth’s surface to reach the ore. Diamonds and coal are mined this way. – Can be VERY DANGEROUS!!!!

Deep Mining (Subsurface)

Responsible Mining Mining can disturb habitats of plants and animals. Waste products from the removal of the ore can also cause pollution.

Reclamation Reclamation – law since 1970 states that after mining you must return land to its original state after the mining is completed. Reduces potential harmful effects of mining. Very expensive and time consuming! Mining gives us the minerals we need, but it also creates problems. – The waste products from a mine can get into water sources, polluting both surface water and ground water.

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RECAP What are the 4 characteristics of a mineral? Solid, Crystalline Structure, Non-Living, Formed by Nature What are the two groups that minerals are divided into? Silicate and Nonsilicate What are the 3 silicate minerals? Feldspars, Biotite Mica, Quartz What % of Earth’s crust contains silicate minerals? 90%