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Dr. R. B. Schultz
The earth is made of rocks, which are in turn made of minerals. In this part of the course we'll learn how to identify common minerals and rocks. In order for something to be classified as a mineral, it must meet five (5) criterion: Minerals are: 1. Naturally occurring, 2. Inorganic, 3. Have known chemical compositions 4. Have definite physical properties. 5. Are solid They are usually (although not always) crystalline.
Mineral Classification
Minerals are classified based on chemical composition and crystal structure. Minerals are made of different ions bonded together. Ions are charged atoms Cations are positively charged whereas Anions are negatively charged Common ions in earth's crust: O - most common ion (anion) Si, Al, Fe, Ca, Na, K, Mg, (Cations) Minerals are made mainly of these ions
Silica tetrahedron is a silicon ion bonded to 4 oxygen ions Silicon is positively charged (+4) Oxygen is negatively charged (-2) Net charge on tetrahedron: -4 Because entire tetrahedron is negatively charged, it is attracted to cations Tetrahedra may link together by a cation (e.g. Mg, Fe, Na, Ca, K) serving as a bridge, or may link together by sharing oxygens
Silica Tetrahedron
Oxygens
Silicon
Isolated tetrahedral structure Cations serve as links between tetrahedra; no sharing of oxygens e.g. olivine, and garnet, which also happen to be mafic silicates Single chain silicates Adjacent tetrahedra form a chain by sharing 2 of their oxygens with neighboring tetrahedra e.g. pyroxenes, which also happen to be mafic silicates Double chain silicates Two chains can link up by sharing oxygens e.g. amphiboles, which are mafic silicates too Sheet silicates Sheets are formed when each tetrahedron shares 3 of its oxygens with its neighbors e.g. micas, biotite (mafic) and muscovite (non-mafic), and clay minerals, which are non-mafic silicates Framework silicates Every oxygen in each tetrahedron is shared to form 3-D framework e.g. feldspar, quartz, which are also non-mafic
2. Luster refers to the light reflected off of the mineral and its overall quality. Minerals can be termed: glassy, opaque, transparent, shiny, or most commonly: metallic and non-metallic.
One of the first determinations a geologist must make is whether the mineral in metallic or non-metallic.
Non-metallic mineral
Metallic mineral
Cleavage
Refers to very smooth, flat, shiny breakage surfaces These special breakage surfaces correspond to zones of weak bonding in the crystal structure. To describe cleavage, one must determine the number of unique cleavage planes (directions) and their angle with respect to each other (e.g. salt breaks into cubes, with cleavage in 3 directions, all at 90 degrees)
NO cleavage
Hardness
Refers to "scratchability" or resistance to being scratched. Harder minerals will scratch softer minerals. Geologists rank minerals according to hardness using the Moh's scale Moh's Hardness Scale (Commit this to memory)
1.0 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0 5.0 5.5 6.0 7.0 8.0 9.0 10.0 TALC GYPSUM FINGERNAIL CALCITE COPPER PENNY FLUORITE (Note the spelling!) APATITE STEEL KNIFE BLADE/GLASS PLATE ORTHOCLASE FELDSPAR QUARTZ TOPAZ CORUNDUM (RUBY) DIAMOND
Color Varies in many minerals, e.g. quartz VERY unreliable. Some minerals come in just one color; other are many colors/many varieties.
Streak Refers to color of mark left by rubbing mineral against a streak plate (unglazed porcelain). Streak does not vary even if color does. Other Properties Some minerals are magnetic (i.e., magnetite) Some minerals effervesce ("fizz") in dilute acid (calcite) Specific gravity (like density) galena has a high specific gravity.
Key Terminology
Mineral Crystalline structure Cation Silicate Felsic Single chain Sheet silicate Non-silicate Habit Streak Hardness Chemical composition Ions Anion Mafic Silica tetrahedron Double chain Framework silicate Physical properties Luster Cleavage Mohs Hardness Scale
An extensive listing of mineral links arranged by topic from the National Association of Geology Teachers (NAGT).
Minerals Links (University of Wrzburg) An extensive listing of mineral links including mineral descriptions and thin section images. Minerals (Mineralogical Society of America) The Mineralogical Society of America web site offers a good, general description of mineral properties, classification, etc. directed primarily toward K-12 grade students. Minerals (Trinity Mineral Company) Beautiful photos of rare minerals offered for sale by the Trinity Mineral Company. Minerals Information (USGS) United States Geologic Survey (USGS) statistics and information on the worldwide supply, demand, and flow of minerals and materials essential to the U.S. economy, the national security, and protection of the environment. Minerals on the Internet A wide variety of minerals-related sites sorted into relevant categories from Tasa Graphic Arts, Inc. Mining and Mineral Resources A great source for information about mining of mineral resources, mining news and trends, etc. National Mining Association The National Mining Association (NMA) represents the mining industry, mining equipment manufacturers, and other mining-related businesses, throughout the United States. Periodic Table of the Elements In addition to listing a wealth of information about each element, this location also lists and describes numerous compounds.
Periodic Table of the Elements II A great source for information on the elements.
Technical University of Clausthal This site at a German university also shows some excellent mineral pictures. Virtual Atlas of Opaque and Ore Minerals This site provides over 400 full colour photomicrographs of the major ore-forming associations and opaque minerals in non-mineralized rocks. It describes typical examples of each material from many classical localities throughout the world. For each association there is a listing of the major (and important minor) primary ore minerals, alteration products and gangue, typical textures, a brief discussion of the geology of the association and a list of references. World Lecture Hall (University of Texas at Austin) The World Lecture Hall features links to online courses in the United States and Canada.