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Chapter 1 Minerals in the Earth’s Crust. SECTION 1. mineral. a naturally formed, inorganic solid that has a definite crystalline structure Must be able to say “yes” 1. must be a solid 2. must be a nonliving material 3. must have a crystalline structure
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mineral • a naturally formed, inorganic solid that has a definite crystalline structure Must be able to say “yes” • 1. must be a solid • 2. must be a nonliving material • 3. must have a crystalline structure • 4. must be formed in nature (not by man)
elements • pure substances that cannot be broken down into simpler substances by ordinary chemical means
compound • a substance made of two or more elements that have been chemically joined or bonded • NaCl = Sodium + Chlorine = salt • H2O = Hydrogen + Oxygen = water
native element • a mineral composed of only one element Example: gold and silver
General Facts about Minerals • Between 2 - 3,000 have been identified • A few are “native elements” -- made of only one element, such as sulfur, gold. copper, and graphite (carbon) • Most are compounds, especially the silicate group (Si, O). • Other important groups are oxides, carbonates, and sulfides.
Less than a dozen are common in most rocks Olivine Amphibole (group) Magnetite, limonite, and other iron oxides Pyrite Quartz Feldspar (group) Muscovite (white mica) Biotite (black mica) Calcite Pyroxene
Common uses include: • Aluminum--packaging, transport, building • Beryllium--gemstones, fluorescent lights • Copper--electric cables, wires, switches • Feldspar--glass and ceramics • Iron--buildings, automobiles, magnets • Calcite--toothpaste, construction • http://www.mii.org/commonminerals.php
crystals • solid, geometric forms of minerals produced by a definite repeating pattern of atoms that is resent throughout the mineral
silicate minerals • a mineral that contains a combination of silicon, oxygen and one or more metals • make up more than 90% of Earth’s crust • silicon and oxygen combine with other elements such as aluminum, iron, magnesium and potassium to make up silicate materials
nonsilicate minerals • minerals that do not contain a combination of the elements silicon and oxygen • some made up of carbon, oxygen, fluorine and sulfur • native elements, oxides, carbonates, sulfates, halides & sulfides
Minerals are identified by their key characteristics • hardness • crystal shape (form) • luster • color • streak • cleavage/fracture • density (specific gravity) • special properties --reaction to acid --fluorescence --salty taste --magnetism
COLOR • results from ability to absorb some wavelengths and reflect others • some minerals have characteristics colors • others vary due to chemical differences or impurities (atoms mixed inside the main elements) • because of factors such as impurities, color is not the best way to identify a mineral
LUSTER • Describes how light reflects off the surface • “shiny” = metallic luster • “dull” = submetallic or nonmetallic luster
STREAK • Color of the powder when rubbed on a “streak plate” (unglazed porcelain) • can be found by rubbing the mineral against a piece of unglazed porcelain • powdered color is not always the same color of the mineral sample
Streak Plate = a piece of unglazed porcelain used to test the streak of minerals
Cleavage of mica into thin sheets Cleavage = the tendency of some minerals to break along smooth, flat surfaces
fracture in obsidian fracture = the tendency of some minerals to break unevenly along curved or irregular surfaces
HARDNESS • a mineral’s resistance to being scratched • the greater a mineral’s resistance to being scratched, the higher the rating • Mohs scale from 1 (talc) to 10 (diamond) • Quartz (most common mineral and most dust particles) is 7
DENSITY (Specific Gravity) • All minerals have density (mass / volume), but some are very dense • Examples include galena, magnetite, and gold • Specific Gravity is the density of the mineral compared with density of water
SPECIAL PROPERTIES • particular to only a few types of minerals – need specialized equipment to determine these properties EXAMPLES: fluorescence, chemical reaction, optical properties, magnetism, taste, radioactivity
Special Property-the “Acid Test” Carbonates react with dilute HCl and other acids by fizzing or bubbling (releasing CO2 gas)
Special Property - Fluorescence • Some minerals will glow when placed under short-wave or long-wave ultraviolet rays • Franklin and Ogdensburg NJ are famous for their fluorescent minerals
Special Property -Salty Taste • DO NOT TASTE MOST MINERALS! • Halite is the exception--it will taste salty
Special Property -Magnetism • Many iron minerals will produce an invisible magnetic force field • “Lodestone” was used by Vikings more than 1,000 years ago as compasses
ORE • a mineral deposit large enough and pure enough to be mined for profit • removed by two methods = surface or subsurface mining
SURFACE MINING • When mineral s deposits are located at or near the surface of the earth • kinds = open pits, surface coal mines and quarries • surface coal mining also called strip mining
OPEN PIT MINING • used to remove large, near-surface deposits of economically important minerals such as gold and copper
QUARRIES • open pits that are used to mine building stone, crushed rock, sand and gravel
SUBSURFACE MINING • when mineral deposits are located too deep within the earth’s to be surface mined • often requires passageways to be dug into the earth to reach the ore
RECLAMATION • the process of returning land to its original condition after mining is completed • required by law • reduces the potential harmful effects of mining to return the land to its original state after mining is completed
METALLIC MINERALS • have shiny surfaces, do not let light pass through them and are good conductors of heat and electricity • can be processed into metals that are strong and do not rust, can be pounded into various shapes or stretched thinly without breaking
NONMETALLIC MINERALS • have shiny or dull surfaces, may let light pass through them and are good insulators of electricity • most widely used minerals in industry
GEMSTONES • nonmetallic minerals that are highly valued for their beauty and rarity rather than their usefulness • diamond, ruby, sapphire, emerald, aquamarine, topaz and tourmaline • color is the most important characteristic of a gemstone • must be durable and hard enough to be cut and polished
carat • the unit used to express the mass of a gemstone • one carat = 200mg