Introduction to Mineralogy

Mineralogy is a mixture of:

New concepts much of it from chemistry and
physics with a geologic point of view
Fairly complex ideas (but not insurmountable)
New vocabulary many terms
Large amounts of memorization
This mixture can make mineralogy seem a bit
complicated and esoteric
So why mineralogy?
Minerals are chemical compounds that
form from natural earth processes
Minerals are basic building blocks of rocks
Rocks provide record of earth history and
are formed by earth processes
Geologists
Study earth history
Study earth processes
Mineralogy is the key.
Objectives
Three parts to class (originally three
classes):

1. Learn chemical properties of minerals
Crystallography spatial arrangement of
atoms
Crystal chemistry what atoms make up
minerals and why
2. Analytical methods:
Physical properties (this weeks lab) visual
observations
Polarizing microscope
X-ray diffraction

3. Identify, classify and organize minerals
Definition of Mineral
A naturally occurring, homogeneous solid,
with a defined (but generally not fixed)
chemical composition and an ordered
atomic arrangement
1. Naturally occurring
Why not synthetic (man-made)?
E.g. diamonds
Corian countertops (quartz)
Table salt (halite)
Others?
San Francisco Bay
Salar de Uyuni,
Bolivian Altiplano
2. Homogeneous solid
Minerals can not be PHYSICALLY broken
into new compounds
How about chemically broken?
What would they break into?
Why solid?

Chemical reaction: Albite Na
+
+ Al
3+
+ SiO
4
4-
Physical Reaction: Big Feldspar Little Feldspar

3. Defined, but not fixed,
composition
The compositions of minerals are strictly
defined (stoichiometry), but can vary
between compositions
For example:
Calcite is CaCO
3
but will also contain much
Mg, Sr, Fe, Mn etc.
Olivine - (Fe,Mg)
2
SiO
4
- is a group of two
main minerals:
Fayalite (Fe
2
SiO
4
)
Forsterite (Mg
2
SiO
4
)

4. Ordered atomic arrangement
Crystallography how atoms are arranged
in space.
For example:
Aragonite (CaCO
3
) and calcite (CaCO
3
) are
different minerals but have identical
compositions
This is why minerals are referred to by name
rather than formula
Mineral names include both composition
(chemistry) and crystallography