MINERALS

WHAT IS MINERAL

"A mineral is an element or chemical compound that is normally

crystalline and that has been formed as a result of geological processes"
(Nickel, E. H., 1995).
 
"A mineral is a naturally occurring homogeneous solid, inorganically

formed, with a definite chemical composition and an ordered atomic

arrangement" (Mason, et al, 1968).
 
"A mineral is a body produced by the processes of inorganic nature,

having usually a definite chemical composition and, if formed under

favorable conditions, a certain characteristic atomic structure which is
expressed in its crystalline form and other physical properties" (Dana &
Ford, 1932).
 
It must be a crystalline solid.
It must occur naturally.

It must be inorganic.

It must have a definite physical

properties and chemical

composition.
 Elements -> Minerals
Different elements are joined together to create specific
minerals.

Example: Quartz contains

silicon (Si) and

oxygen (O)
element symbol
name
ORES are rocks containing valuable minerals

Hematite Malachite Galena

Iron Ore Copper Lead

Gold in Quartz
 Composition of minerals

 Elements
 Basic building blocks of minerals
 Over 100 are known (92 naturally occurring)
 Atoms
 Smallest particles of matter
 Retains all the characteristics of an element
 Composition of minerals

 Atomic structure
 Central region called the nucleus
 Consists of protons (+ charges) and neutrons (-
charges)
 Electrons
 Negatively charged particles that surround the
nucleus
 Located in discrete energy levels called shells
Structure of an atom
Composition of minerals

 Chemical bonding
 Formation of a compound by combining two or
more elements
 Ionic bonding
 Atoms gain or lose outermost (valence) electrons
to form ions
 Ionic compounds consist of an orderly
arrangement of oppositely charged ions
Halite (NaCl) – An example of ionic
bonding
 Composition of minerals
 Covalent bonding
 Atoms share electrons to achieve electrical
neutrality
 Generally stronger than ionic bonds
 Both ionic and covalent bonds typically occur in
the same compound
Covalent bonding
Composition of minerals
 Other types of bonding
 Metallic bonding
 Valenceelectrons are free to migrate among atoms
 Weaker and less common than other bonds
Structure of minerals

 Minerals consist of an orderly array of atoms

chemically bonded to form a particular crystalline
structure
 Internal atomic arrangement in ionic compounds is
determined by ionic size
What determines the particular crystalline
structure of a mineral?

 Size of ions

 Electrical charge of ions

 Pressure under which mineral forms

 Temperature under which mineral forms

Halite
Quartz
(NaCl)
(SiO2)
 How do Minerals Form?
 Crystallization
 Crystals form from magma cooling
 Recrystallization in the solid state
 Precipitation from solution (i.e., evaporation)

 Big crystals = enough space to grow

and/or slow cooling
 Small crystals = small space to grow
and/or fast cooling
CRYSTAL STUCTURE/FORM
 Each mineral has own crystal form or structure,
 which gives mineral a typical shape.
 It is arrangement of atom within mineral structure.
Geometric packing
of various ions
 Crystals
1. Cubic e.g. Garnet Crystals are minerals or
2. Tetragonal e.g. Zirconelements that have been
3. Hexagonal e.g. Calcitecooled slowly enough for
4. Trigonal e.g. Beryl crystals to have formed.
5. Orthohombic e.g. Topaz
Crystals can be classified by
6. Monoclinic e.g. Feldspar
7. Triclinic e.g. Albite their shapes into seven
groups.
Structure of minerals

 Polymorphs
 Minerals with the same composition but
different crystalline structures
 Examples include diamond and graphite
 Phase change = one polymorph changing into
another
 Mineral groups

 Nearly 4000 minerals have been named

 Rock-forming minerals
 Common minerals that make up most of the
rocks of Earth’s crust
 Only a few dozen members
 Composed mainly of the 8 elements that make up
over 98% of the continental crust
Elemental abundances
in continental crust
Rock-Forming Minerals:
Lots and lots of ’em!

There are some 4000 recognized minerals found on Earth.

 Silicates - Si, O and other elements, the most abundant

mineral group in the Earth’s crust
 Carbonates - Ca, Mg and CO3
 Oxides – ores for many metals
 Sulfides & Sulfates – gypsum (plaster)
 Salts – NaCl (table salt)
Some Silicate Minerals

Mica

Feldspar

Olivine
Pyroxene
Quartz
 Mineral groups

 Important nonsilicate minerals

 Typically divided into classes based on anions
 Comprise only 8% of Earth’s crust
 Often occur as constituents in sedimentary rocks
 Mineral groups

 Important nonsilicate minerals

 Many nonsilicate minerals have economic value
 Examples
 Hematite (oxide mined for iron ore)
 Halite (halide mined for salt)
 Sphalerite (sulfide mined for zinc ore)
 Native copper (native element mined for copper)
Native copper
 PHYSICAL PROPERTIES

COLOR
 Since, color is so obvious, so it is most noticeable property.
 Most of minerals are colorless or light color e-g
MUSCOVITE, while others are dark color like
AUGITE,HORNBLEND,OLIVINE,BIOTITE, are either
green or black.
 Some minerals may have different colors due to impurities
in their composition e-g QUARTZ may be white, pink and
black.
 Colour..........
    
Minerals tend to
occur in a range of Most minerals are
colours, and colour coloured by a limited
patterns which help
number of metals
present as impurities.
to identify them
The most common
elements affecting
colour are:
chromium, iron,
manganese, titanium and
It is chromium which produces the copper.
intense red of ruby and the
brilliant green of emerald.
 LUSTER
 It is quality and intensity of light that is reflected from the surface
of the mineral.
 Luster is metallic or non-metallic.
 Metallic luster gives a substance the appearance of being made of
a metal,metallic luster may be very shiny like chrome car part.
 Nonmetallic lustre is more commen,which gives a substance a
glazed appearance like glass or porcelain. The
Feldspar,Quartz,Micas,Pyroxene, and Amphibole have a glassy
luster.
 Other types includes earthy luster(Clay),resin luster, silky luster
and pearly luster.
LUSTER
Quality and intensity
of reflected light
 Examples:
metallic (polished metal)
silky (fibrous materials) Pyrite

Chrysotile
Two basic categories
Metallic
Nonmetallic
Other descriptive terms
include vitreous, silky, or
earthy
 STREAK
 A pulverized minerals gives a color, called
streak.
 It is more reliable property than color.

 Hematite (iron ore) always leaves a reddish

brown streak although sample may be brown,

red or even silver.
 Anyhow, Few silicate mineral like Quartz may

be tough to may powder.

 HARDNESS
 In 1812, a scientist, F. Moh devised a scale of
hardness into which all minerals can be placed.
 It is property of scratchability and is very reliable

property.
 For a hard mineral, it must make a groove or

scratch a soft surface/mineral surface.

 Substance are compared with Moh’s Hardness

Scale,wchich is most reliable scale in geological

investigation for minerals.
 Moh’s Scale of Hardness
1. TALC
2. GYPSUM Finger nail
3. CALCITE copper coin
4. FLURITE
5. APATITE Knife blade/Glass
6. FELDSPAR Metal file
7. QUARTZ
8. TOPAZ Hard
9. CORUNDUM
10. DIAMOND very hard on earth
Hardness
 Hardness depends upon the forces
holding the atoms of the mineral
together.
 Moh’s scale relates the hardness of
minerals with some common
objects, such as fingernails, copper
pennies, a steel knife blade, and
glass.
 Diamond is the- hardest natural
material, 140 times harder than
corundum.
 Specific Gravity
 
 It was Archimedes who first worked out the principal of
specific gravity or relative density. Specific
gravity is defined as the ratio of the weight of a
substance compared to that of an equal volume of water.
 For example, a piece of galena (lead ore), with a specific
gravity of 7.4 will feel much heavier than a piece of
quartz of a similar size but with specific gravity of 2.65,
reflecting the way the atoms are packed together.
 Average value = 2.7
CLEAVAGE
Mineral tendency to break along Calcite - rhomboids
planar surfaces in preferred direction.

Mica - sheets
 Fracture and Habit
 Every mineral has a
characteristic crystal habit
and fracture

 Habit – tendency to grow in

certain directions
 Fracture – tendency to break
in certain directions (across
cleavage planes) or Absence
of cleavage when a mineral is Quartz (SiO2)
broken
Conchoidal fracture
Common
cleavage
directions
Physical properties
of minerals
 Other properties
 Magnetism
 Reaction to hydrochloric acid
 Malleability
 Double refraction
 Taste
 Smell
 Elasticity