1. Properties of Minerals
Take notes on page 31 and 32 of your science log (front and back)
Write these notes exactly as they are shown!

2. What is a mineral? Inorganic (not formed by plants or animals) Solid
Found in nature
Orderly arrangement of atoms
Quartz (silicon dioxide)

3. What’s the difference between a mineral and a rock?
A rock is made of one or more minerals
Granite is a rock, which has feldspar, quartz and mica.
Feldspar is
a mineral

4. How do minerals form?
Lava or magma—as it cools, the atoms form orderly patterns.
Evaporation—when seawater evaporates, crystals of minerals such as salt or gypsum form.
Precipitation—extra materials that fall out of water solutions

5. Clues to Formation
Size
How crystals fit together

6. Properties
Characteristics used to identify minerals

7. Crystals Solid materials with a repeating pattern of atoms
Copper Sulfate crystals

8. Cleavage and Fracture Cleavage—splitting into thin sheets
Fracture—breaking into rough edges
Mica-one way cleavage
Quartz-conchoidal fracture

9. Color Color can fool you!
The best way to identify a mineral by color is a streak test —scraping an unknown mineral across a white, unglazed tile.

10. Luster How light reflects from a mineral’s surface.
Is it shiny? Glassy? Dull? Metallic? Pearly?

12. Hardness Moh’s scale of hardness
Classify minerals from 1 (softest) to 10 (hardest)
Page 260 in the textbook

14. Specific Gravity
Compares weight of mineral with weight of an equal volume of water.

15. Other properties
Magnetism
Double refraction
Taste
Reaction with Acid

16. Rock Forming Minerals
Silicates – contain silicon and oxygen, example: feldspar
Carbonates – contain carbon and oxygen, example: limestone

17. Gems Rare minerals that can be cut and polished.
Diamonds are produced under pressure and brought to the surface by volcanic eruptions.

18. Ore Contains enough useful mineral to be sold at a profit.
Must be processed to extract the mineral