What is a Mineral?

1. What is a Mineral? Naturally Occurring Inorganic Solid Crystal Structure Chemical Composition

2. Physical Properties to Identify Minerals • Hardness (Mohs hardness scale) • Color • Streak (true color of a minerals powder) • Luster (how it reflects light ) • Density (heft test and displacement test) • Crystal System • Cleavage and Fracture • Special Properties

3. How do Minerals Form ? • Through the crystallization of melted materials • Through the crystallization of materials dissolved in water

4. What determines the crystal size ? • Slow cooling deep below the surface will allow the formation of large crystals • Fast cooling at or near the surface will allow the formation of small crystals

5. How are Minerals Used ? • Gemstones • Metals • Other uses

6. Quartz • Glass • Electronics • Most common mineral in the earth’s crust

7. Fluorite • The most colorful mineral • Used in toothpaste

8. Pyrite • Known as Fools Gold

9. Graphite • Made of Carbon • Used in pencils

10. Galena • Used in fishing equipment • Metallic Luster

11. Hematite • Known as Bloodstone

12. Magnetite • Known as Lodestone • Cubic crystal structure • Magnetic properties

13. Talc • Softest mineral • Used to make powder

14. Gypsum • Used in sheetrock

15. Muscovite Mica • Very thin and flakes off in sheets

16. Halite • Cubic crystal structure • Salt

17. Calcite • Produces a double image • Reacts with HCl • Has cleavage

18. Feldspar • Cleavage • Nonmetallic Luster

19. Diamond • Made of carbon • The hardest mineral

20. Iron Ore • A rock that contains a metal or economically useful mineral Platinum Ore Copper Ore

23. Strip Mine

24. Open Pit Mine

25. Shaft Mine