hat is a Mineral?

A mineral is a naturally occurring, inorganic solid with an orderly crystalline

structure and definite chemical composition.

Minerals must have these characteristics...

 Naturally occurring- Forms naturally in Earth. Man made gems are not
minerals.

 Solid Substance- Are solid within the temperature ranges that are normal
for Earth's surface, not a glass nor liquid.
 Orderly Crystalline Structure-The atoms or ions of the minerals are arranged
in an orderly and repetitive pattern.

 Definite Chemical Composition- Most minerals are chemical compounds

made of two or more elements. Only a few are native elements such as gold
and silver. It will always have the same chemical formula.

 Generally Considered Inorganic- Most minerals are inorganic crystalline

solids found in nature. Which means not organic or living, compounds. The
word "generally" is used because there is an exception (i.e. calcium,
carbonate, which comes from coral reefs or shells from marine animals.) 

How do Minerals Form?

Minerals form nearly everywhere on Earth under different conditions. There
are four major processes by which minerals form: crystallization from magma,
precipitation, changes in pressure and temperature, and formation from
hydrothermal solutions.
*Crystallization from Magma

Magma is molten rock, it forms deep inside Earth. When magma cools, elements
join together to form minerals like feldspar, quartz, muscovite, and hornblende.

*Precipitation

Not from the sky!! This certain type of precipitation happens when dissolved
minerals in water form a solid once the water has evaporated (i.e. saltwater will
leave behind the salt and the water evaporates, but you can still see the salt when
the water is present).  Like this limestone cave image caused by precipitation.
*Pressure & Temperature

Under extreme pressure and temperature, existing minerals become unstable and
are forced to rearrange its atoms to form a new mineral. (recrystallize). Example
is muscovite like the image here.

*Hydrothermal Solutions

A hydrothermal solution is a very hot mixture of water and dissolved substances.

The temperatures are between 100 degrees Celsius and 300 degrees Celsius.
When the solution touches existing minerals a chemical reaction happens and a
new mineral is made. Sometimes when it cools, some elements come together and
form minerals like bornite and pyrite.

Minerals form in all geologic environments and thus under a wide range of chemical and
physical conditions, such as varying temperature and pressure. The four main
categories of mineral formation are: (1) igneous, or magmatic, in which minerals
crystallize from a melt, (2) sedimentary, in which minerals are the result
of sedimentation, a process whose raw materials are particles from other rocksthat have
undergone weathering or erosion, (3) metamorphic, in which new minerals form at the
expense of earlier ones owing to the effects of changing—usually increasing—
temperature or pressure or both on some existing rock type, and (4) hydrothermal, in
which minerals are chemically precipitated from hot solutionswithin Earth. The first three
processes generally lead to varieties of rocks in which different mineral grains are
closely intergrown in an interlocking fabric. Hydrothermal solutions, and even solutions
at very low temperatures (e.g., groundwater), tend to follow fracture zones in rocks that
may provide open spaces for the chemical precipitation of minerals from solution. It is
from such open spaces, partially filled by minerals deposited from solutions, that most of
the spectacular mineral specimens have been collected. If a mineral that is in the
process of growth (as a result of precipitation) is allowed to develop in a free space, it
will generally exhibit a well-developed crystal form, which adds to a
specimen’s aesthetic beauty. Similarly, geodes, which are rounded, hollow, or partially
hollow bodies commonly found in limestones, may contain well-formed crystals lining
the central cavity. Geodes form as a result of mineral depositionfrom solutions such
as groundwater.