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All About Minerals: Formation, Properties, and Identification

Learn about minerals, their formation process, common properties, and how to identify them based on physical characteristics. Discover the different groups of minerals and their unique chemical makeup.

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All About Minerals: Formation, Properties, and Identification

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  1. Minerals

  2. What is a Mineral? • Naturally-formed solid substance with a crystal structure usually inorganic Pyromorphite

  3. What do all minerals have in common? All: • Are formed by natural processes. • Are NOT alive and NEVER were alive • Have a definite volume and shape • Are elements or compounds with a unique chemical makeup • Are made up of particles that are arranged in a pattern that is repeated over and over (called a CRYSTAL)

  4. Watch “Crystals” by Brainpop… • .What element are diamonds made from? • . What do all crystals have in common?

  5. Groups of Minerals • Minerals are grouped by the elements they are made of. Beryl (Emerald) Calcite Amethyst

  6. MICA Quartz

  7. Silver Copper Diamond Gold Iron Ruby

  8. Calcite with Duftite inclusions

  9. BariteBaSo4 Barite on CalciteBaSo4 / CaCO3

  10. How do minerals form? • 1) Cooling of magma (hot, liquid rock and minerals inside the earth (from the mantle)) • Fast Cooling = No Crystals (mineraloids) • Medium Cooling = small crystals • Slow Cooling = large crystals

  11. How do minerals form? • From Solutions: • 2) Elements dissolved in liquids (usually water)

  12. How are minerals Formed? By Metamorphism: Temperature and pressure within Earth causes new minerals to form as bonds between atoms break and reform with different atoms. Ex. Element carbon in rocks forms the mineral diamond.

  13. Physical Properties of Minerals(can be used to identify the mineral) Color • Can be misleading • Can vary with the type of impurities

  14. Physical Properties of Minerals(can be used to identify the mineral) Luster • Surface reflection • metallic = shiny like metal • non-metallic = dull, non-shiny surface Pyrite has a metallic luster Calcite has a non-metallic luster

  15. Physical Properties of Minerals(can be used to identify the mineral) Streak • The color of the powdered form of the mineral • The color of the streak can be different than the mineral • Minerals must be softer than the streak plate

  16. Streak…can help identify quartz BUT... http://www.childrensmuseum.org/geomysteries/cube/b3.html

  17. Physical Properties of Minerals(can be used to identify the mineral) Hardness • How easily a mineral scratches materials • Mohs Hardness Scale • Scale from 1 (softest) to 10 (hardest) • Test by seeing if the mineral can scratch different objects (like human fingernail, copper, penny, glass, steel file)

  18. Find out more… • “Electronic” Hardness Test http://www.childrensmuseum.org/geomysteries/cube/b2.html

  19. Physical Properties of Minerals(can be used to identify the mineral) Cleavage & Fracture • The way the mineral breaks • Cleavage—minerals break along smooth, flat surfaces and every fragment has the same general shape • Fracture—minerals that break at random with rough or jagged edges

  20. 1. 4. 3. 2. Cleavage or Fracture?

  21. Physical Properties of Minerals(can be used to identify the mineral) Other Properties • Specific gravity (*excellent clue to mineral’s identity) • Attraction to magnets • Bending of light • Reaction with hydrochloric acid • Smell & taste http://www.childrensmuseum.org/geomysteries/cube/b4.html

  22. Watch Brainpop—“Mineral Identification” • . If a mineral can scratch your fingernail, the mineral is _______________ than your fingernail. • 2. What is luster?

  23. Watch Classifying Minerals Clip

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