Civil Engineering Materials

CEN 213

Lec-03

Building Stones
 Building stones

● A building stone is obtained from the rocks in the

earth-crust.
● It is naturally occurring substance. Stone is
considered to the king of engineering materials, and
where durability and permanency of a structure are
required; it continues to enjoy its superiority over all
other rival materials of engineering construction.
● To understand the properties of stones, one should
study first the characteristics of stone-forming
minerals.
 Minerals:

● Minerals are naturally occurring substances, having

characteristics internal structures and of more or less
definite chemical composition and displaying more or
less definite physical properties.
 What is a Mineral?
● Naturally occurring substances
● Non-organic
● Characteristic chemical composition
● Displaying distinctive physical properties
● Crystalline structure & solid

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 Common minerals
Beryl, Calcite, copper, Diamond, Fluorite,
Gold, Graphite, Gypsum, Halite, Iron Ore,
primarily Hematite and Magnetite, Mica,
Pyrite, Quartz, Silver, Sulfur, Talc etc.

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Physical properties of Mineral
1. 1. Streak & Color
2. 2. Cleavage & Fracture
3. 3. Hardness
4. 4. Luster
5. 5. Structure
6. 6. Specific Gravity
7. 7. Magnetism
8. 8. Association

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Color

● results from ability to absorb

some wavelengths and
reflect others
● some minerals have
characteristics colors
● others vary due to chemical
differences or impurities
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Color

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Streak

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 Color & Streak
● Mineral exhibits a different color in
crystal and in powdered form
Mineral Color (Crystal) Streak (powdered)

Hematite Black Cherry-red

Chromites Greenish-black Greenish-brown

Pyrite Brass-yellow Black

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Luster

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Mineral Hardness
● Ability to scratch
another mineral

● Harder minerals will

scratch softer
minerals.

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