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CEE 437 Lecture 2 Minerals. Thomas Doe. Topics. Mineral Definition Rock Forming Minerals Physical Proprieties of Minerals Mineral Identification Mineral Lab. Mineral Definition. Naturally occurring material with unique combination of chemical composition and crystalline structure
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CEE 437 Lecture 2Minerals Thomas Doe
Topics • Mineral Definition • Rock Forming Minerals • Physical Proprieties of Minerals • Mineral Identification • Mineral Lab
Mineral Definition • Naturally occurring material with unique combination of chemical composition and crystalline structure • Natural non-minerals — glasses, coal, amorphous silica • Pseudomorphs: diamond:graphite
Graphite, C Galena, PbS
Differentiation of Crustal Composition Weathering differentiating towards higher Silica Carbonate concentrated by organic processes Preferential melting of higher silica Original basaltic composition of crust Concentration of C, Ca, Na, K in sea and air
Mineral Differentiation • Plate tectonics • selective melting, selective recrytallization • differentiation by density • Weathering and erosion
Elemental Fates • Silicon tends to concentrate in crust — quartz is very long lived • Aluminum — transforms from feldspars to clays • Mica — transform to clays • Fe-Mg-Ca-Na-K concentrate in some clays and micas, concentrate in oceans in biosphere
Rock Forming Minerals • Composition of Crust • Dominantly O, Si, Fe, Mg, Ca, Na, K • Near surface importance of bio-processes • Silicates from inorganic processes • Carbonates mainly from shell-forming organisms
Major Silicate Groups • Silicon Tetrahedron • separate tetraheadra — olivine • single chains — pyroxene • double chains — amphibole • sheet silicates — micas and clays • framework silicates — feldspars (with Al substitution), quartz as pure silica
Physical Properties • Density (Gravity) • Electrical Conductivity (Resisitivity) • Thermal Expansion • Strength • Elasticity (Mechanical properties, • Seismic/Acoustic Velocity • Rheology (Plasticity,Viscosity)
Effects on Physical Properties • Anisotropy • Properties differ by direction • Heterogeneity • Properties vary by location • Mineral properties may have strong anisotropy when crystals are aligned • Heterogeneity may have strong mechanical effects when different minerals have different deformation properties
Mineral Identification • Density • Hardness • Color, luster (metallic, non-metalic, semi-metallic) • Crystalline habit • Cleavage • Mineral chemistry, x-ray diffraction
X-Ray Diffraction Bragg’s Law