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What is a Mineral?

What is a Mineral?. What is a mineral? Definition:. A mineral is a naturally formed, inorganic solid that has a definite crystalline structure. What is a mineral? Properties:. S olid Cannot be a liquid or a gas N aturally Occurring Found in nature, not man-made I norganic

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What is a Mineral?

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  1. What is a Mineral?

  2. What is a mineral? Definition: A mineral is a naturally formed, inorganic solid that has a definite crystalline structure.

  3. What is a mineral? Properties: • Solid • Cannot be a liquid or a gas • Naturally Occurring • Found in nature, not man-made • Inorganic • Is not alive and never was, non-living • Fixed composition • Has a chemical formula, most are formed from compounds of two or more elements, some minerals consist of one element ex. Au • Crystal Structure (Crystalline) • A definite structure in which atoms are arranged

  4. Questions to ask yourself when determining if an item is a mineral or not: • Is it non-living material? • Is it a solid? • Is it formed in nature? • Does it have a crystalline structure? The next few slides show an assortment of items. As a group, categorize the items as either: Minerals or Non-Minerals.

  5. Wood

  6. Gold

  7. Fossil

  8. Topaz

  9. Bones

  10. Granite

  11. Quartz

  12. Pearls

  13. Talc

  14. Icebergs

  15. Diamond

  16. Coal

  17. Rock Salt

  18. And the answers are… • Minerals • Gold • Topaz • Quartz • Talc • Iceberg* • Diamonds • Non-Minerals • Wood - once living • Fossils – once living • Bone - living material • Granite - intrusive igneous rock • Pearls – made by oysters • Coal - Sedimentary rock • Rock Salt – Sedimentary rock According to IMA – ice is listed as a mineral

  19. How are Minerals Identified? • Color: • Physical Property that can be observed without doing anything • Streak: • Color of the powder it leaves when you rub it along a surface • Luster: • How it shines; how it reflects light

  20. Cleavage and Fracture: • The way a mineral breaks • Cleavage: Mineral splits easily with a flat surface • Fracture: Minerals that break apart in an irregular way • Special Properties: • Glows • Magnifies • Magnetic • Reactive

  21. Density: • Mass in a given space; mass per volume • Hardness: • Mohs hardness scale • Scratch test: Minerals can only scratch those minerals softer than it is • Crystal Systems: • Number and angle of Crystal faces • 6 crystal systems

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