MINERALS

Rocks
 What is a rock?

 A rock is a naturally formed

aggregate composed of one
or more minerals
rock, an aggregate of more than one minerals
 What is a Mineral?

 A mineral is a naturally formed inorganic crystalline solid

with a definite chemical composition and identifying
physical properties
 naturally formed
 formed by geologic processes in nature, not by humans
 inorganic
 was never alive
 crystalline solid
 a solid composed of atoms arranged in a repeating orderly
framework
 definite chemical composition
 a homogeneous chemical compound with a chemical formula
 distinctive, identifying physical properties
 The stuff that makes up all
matter

• The make-up of solid matter on Earth:

Atoms  Elements  Compounds  Minerals  Rocks
(smallest) (largest)

• Elements:
– fundamental building blocks
– smallest matter that can’t be broken down
 Physical Properties of Minerals
1. Crystal form
 Is a set of crystalline faces having a definite
geometric relationship to one another
Garnet

Quartz
 Physical Properties of Minerals
2. Color
 Is due to visible wavelengths of light not absorbed
 Is the most obvious but least reliable property to use
for identification Milky quartz Citrine

Amethyst Smoky quartz

Colors of ruby and sapphire,
varieties of corundum (Al2O3) Colors of Varieties of Quartz
 Physical Properties of Minerals
3. Streak
 The color of a mineral in powder form

Figure 1.8
 Physical Properties of Minerals
4. Luster
 Is the intensity of light reflected from a surface

Pyrite

Potassium feldspar
Galena
Has a nonmetallic luster
Have a metallic luster
 Physical Properties of Minerals
5. Cleavage
 Is breakage along planes of weakness
 Is due to weak bonding between those planes
Various Types of Cleavage
Pyramidal, Cubic, and Rhombohedral Cleavage Displayed
by Fluorite, Halite, and Calcite

Fluorite Halite Calcite

Figure 1.11
Distinguishing between Cleavage Planes and Crystal Faces
 Physical Properties of Minerals
6. Fracture
 Is breakage in random directions
 Is due to the absence of weak bonding between planes
 Conchoidal fracture yields scalloped edges like in broken glass
 Physical Properties of Minerals
7. Hardness
 Is the resistance to scratching
 Is based on the Moh’s Scale
 1 talc
 2 gypsum
 3 calcite
 4 fluorite
 5 apatite
 6 potassium feldspar (orthoclase)
 7 quartz
 8 topaz
 9 corundum
 10 diamond
 Moh’s
Hardness
Scale
 Physical Properties of Minerals
8. Tenacity
 resistance to breaking or bending

9. Specific gravity: an expression of heaviness

density of a substance X g/cm3
SG = ----------------------------------- = -------------- = X
density of water 1 g/cm3

10. Taste
 Halite (rock salt) tastes salty

11. Magnetism
 magnetite attracts a magnet
 Physical Properties of Minerals

12. Reaction with acid

 minerals containing a CO3 ion fizz (release CO2) when
in contact with hydrochloric acid
2HCl + CaCO3 → Ca2+ + 2Cl- + H2O + CO2

13. Striations
 Are saw-tooth lines present on crystal planes due to
lamellar twinning (repetition) of crystals on that plane
 Striations are characteristic of plagioclase feldspar,
calcite, dolomite, galena, and sphalerite
Elemental Abundances in Continental Crust
 Mineral Classes
 Silicate Minerals

 Non-silicate Minerals
 Silicate Minerals
 Silicate minerals (silicates) are composed of
silica tetrahedra (SiO4 4-)

 All the common rock-forming minerals are

silicate minerals

 For silica tetrahedra to be stable, they must

either:
 be balanced by positive ions,
 share oxygens with adjacent silica tetrahedra,
or
 substitute one or more Al 3+ for Si 4+
 Silicate Minerals

 Compositions of the silicates

 Mafic composition
 Is rich in magnesium, iron, and/or
calcium
 Intermediate composition
 Is compositionally between mafic and
felsic
 Felsic composition
 Is rich in feldspar and/or silica (quartz)
 The Silica Tetrahedron
(composed of 4 oxygen atoms surrounding 1 silicon atom)
 Two
Illustrations
of the
Si–O4
Tetrahedron
Single Island Silicates
(ex.: olivine)

Single Chain Silicates

(ex.: augite pyroxene)
Single Chain Silicates: The Pyroxenes
Double Chain Silicates: The Amphiboles
(e.g., hornblende)
 Sheet Silicates: The Micas
(biotite, muscovite, and the clays)
 Framework Silicates:
(potassium feldspar, sodium and calcium plagioclase feldspar, quartz)
The Common Rock-Forming Silicate Minerals
 NON-SILICATE MINERAL CLASSES

 Native Elements: consist of only one element.

 Au (gold), Ag (silver), Cu (copper), S (sulfur), C
(graphite, diamond)

 Oxides: contain O 2-
 Fe2O3 (hematite), Fe3O4 (magnetite), Al2O3 (corundum)

 Carbonates: contain CO3 2-

 CaCO3 (calcite), CaMg(CO3)2 (dolomite)
 NON-SILICATE MINERAL CLASSES

 Sulfides: contain S 2-
 FeS2 (pyrite), PbS (galena), CuFeS2
(chalcopyrite)

 Sulfates: contain SO4 2-

 CaSO4.2H2O (gypsum), BaSO4 (barite)

 Halides: contain F 1-, Cl 1-, Br 1-, or I 1-

 NaCl (halite), KCl (sylvite), CaF2 (fluorite)
Non-silicate Mineral Groups
Native Copper
 How do minerals form?
 By crystallization from magma (molten rock material)
 a saturation response

 By crystallization (precipitation) from aqueous fluids

 a saturation response

 By chemical reaction with

 magmatic fluids
 hydrothermal fluids
 water during weathering

 By solid state transformations (metamorphism)

 changes crystal form
 moves ions to new locations
 promotes growth along the edges of mineral grains (crystals) at
the expense of their neighboring mineral grains
Crystallization of Minerals in Cavities:
Geodes
The Effect of Crowding on Crystal Growth
 Polymorphs
 Polymorphs are minerals that have the same chemical
composition but a different crystal form

 Graphite and diamond polymorphs of carbon

 Graphite forms at low temperature and pressure
 Diamond forms at high temperature and pressure

 Quartz, stishovite, and coesite are polymorphs of SiO2

 Quartz forms at low to medium temperature and pressure
 stishovite and coesite form at high pressure, such as that
associated with meteor impacts

 Andelusite, kyanite, and sillimanite are polymorphs of

Al2SiO5
 Andelusite is the low temperature low pressure polymorph
 Kyanite is the low temperature high pressure polymorph
 Sillimanite is the high temperature high pressure polymorph
 Pseudomorphs
 Pseudomorphs are minerals that have
the same crystal form but a different
chemical composition

 Limonite forms cubic pseudomorphs

after pyrite
 Quartz forms pseudomorphs after
fluorite
 MINERAL GROUPS

Non-ferromagnesian
Silicates (K, Na, Ca,
Al)

Ferromagnesian
Silicates (Fe, Mg)

Oxides
Carbonates
Sulfides/sulfates
Native elements