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    Minerals have definite chemical compositions and crystalline structures. They form when atoms arrange themselves in repeating 3D patterns called crystal lattices during crystallization. Key physical properties help identify minerals, including density, specific gravity, hardness, cleavage, luster, streak, and others. Density depends on how tightly packed the atoms are, while hardness refers to a mineral's resistance to scratching. Cleavage occurs along weaker chemical bonds, allowing minerals to break along characteristic crystallographic planes. Together these properties are used to distinguish different minerals from one another.

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    This introduces minerals and their charactericts

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    Minerals lecture notes

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    Minerals have definite chemical compositions and crystalline structures. They form when atoms arrange themselves in repeating 3D patterns called crystal lattices during crystallization. Key physical properties help identify minerals, including density, specific gravity, hardness, cleavage, luster, streak, and others. Density depends on how tightly packed the atoms are, while hardness refers to a mineral's resistance to scratching. Cleavage occurs along weaker chemical bonds, allowing minerals to break along characteristic crystallographic planes. Together these properties are used to distinguish different minerals from one another.

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    12 views16 pages

    Minerals Lecture Notes

    Uploaded by

    Tiisetso
    Minerals have definite chemical compositions and crystalline structures. They form when atoms arrange themselves in repeating 3D patterns called crystal lattices during crystallization. Key physical properties help identify minerals, including density, specific gravity, hardness, cleavage, luster, streak, and others. Density depends on how tightly packed the atoms are, while hardness refers to a mineral's resistance to scratching. Cleavage occurs along weaker chemical bonds, allowing minerals to break along characteristic crystallographic planes. Together these properties are used to distinguish different minerals from one another.

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    of 16

    Minerals

    Minerals
    • A mineral is a naturally occurring crystalline
    solid with a definite chemical composition
    • During crystallization the atoms come
    together and arrange themselves in a definite
    3-D pattern that keep repeating
    • Has a chemical composition (Galena, PbS)
    • A crystal is the unit form of a mineral
    Crystal Lattice Systems
    Physical characteristics of minerals
    • A minerals has certain physical characteristics
    by which it can be identified
    • Controlled by structure and chemical
    composition
    • Used to identify minerals
    Mass dependent properties
    • Density
    p= 𝑚/𝑣 mass / volume
    • Specific gravity
    𝑝
    G= density of material/p(water)
    𝑝(𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟)
    “Heaviness” of the material
    Depends on how tight the atoms are packed
    (packing Index ,PI). Polymorphs Kyanite and
    Andalusite, Al2SiO5
    Aluninosilicate polymorphs
    Kyanite Andalusite
    Colour
    • Some minerals have characteristic colours
    which helps identify them, olivine - green
    • Some minerals contain impurities or structural
    defects, quartz:
    – Smoky quartz – black
    – Milky quartz – white
    – Amethyst - purple
    Quartz and smoky quartz
    Milky Quartz and amethyst
    Hardness
    • The ease with which a mineral may be scratched
    Cleavage
    • Cleavage
    – Crystallographic planes along which chemical
    bonding is weaker
    – Minerals tend to break along this planes, which is
    the cleavage planes or cleavage
    • Facture
    – When a mineral is broken or crushed along
    fracture surfaces without obvious crystallographic
    control
    – Conchoidal, irregular or uneven
    luster
    • The appearance of a fresh surface of the
    mineral when it reflects light
    • Metallic and non-metallic
    Streak
    • Colour of mineral when it is finely powdered
    • Determined by scraping a mineral over white,
    unglazed porcelain tile
    Other properties
    • Magnetism
    • Taste
    • Electrical conductivity
    • Fizz with acid, Carbonates
    What you need to know???

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