PFB 1033

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Students should be able to:

 Understand the basic principle of minerals as rock constituent.
 Identification of minerals through their habits or physical characteristic.
 The important and usefulness of minerals.

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Rocks are aggregates of
minerals

Minerals are the basic

building blocks of the
solid earth

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WHAT ARE MINERALS?

 Minerals are natural compounds formed through
geological processes. The term "mineral" encompasses
not only the material's chemical composition, but also the
mineral's structure.
 Minerals range in composition from pure elements and
simple salts to very complex silicates with thousands of
known forms (organic compounds are usually excluded).
The study of minerals is called mineralogy.

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Mineral: Naturally occurring, solid substance, generally , with
a .
:
: Atoms are organized in The composition of the mineral can be expressed
a repetitive, geometric
as a chemical formula. Mineral name: Halite,
arrangement.
Formula: NaCl

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halite, pyrite, diamond, gold, cassiterite, sapphire, ruby,

emerald, calcite, quartz, ice

 glass (not crystalline)

 coal (organic, not crystalline)
cubic zirconia (Russian @ Swiss diamond, not naturally
occurring – developed in lab.)
 water (not solid)

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MINERAL EXAMPLE - QUARTZ
FORMULA: SIO2

Basic unit –
silica tetrahedron

Internal arrangement
Quartz crystals of silicon and oxygen atoms
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 POLYMORPHS - MINERALS WITH THE SAME CHEMICAL FORMULA,

Diamond Diamond and

graphite have
the formula C
(carbon)

Graphite Diamond forms at

high pressure at
depths in the Earth
greater than about
150 kilometers

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 THE CHEMICAL COMPOSITION AND ARRANGEMENT OF ATOMS IN A
MINERAL INFLUENCES ITS

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 – external expression of internal crystal structure
Examples – Halite and Quartz

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– breakage of the mineral along planes of weakness in the
crystal structure.
Example – Mica
Different kinds of
cleavage

Mica

Feldspar

Hornblende

Halite

Calcite

Fluorite
 -resistance to abrasion.

is influenced by the
kind of bonding between atoms
within the mineral.
Very hard minerals, like
diamond, corundum (sapphire & ruby)
and topaz are gemstones or precious
stone (tough, beauty & lasting).

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 – mass per unit volume (g/cm3)
Increases with atomic packing and the atomic weight of the elements in the
mineral

Galena – PbS (lead ore)

Packing like halite (NaCl),
but 3X more dense!
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The terms used are generally not scientific, but are meant to be descriptive. Most are self explanatory.
The list below includes the most commonly used terms, however other unique terms are sometimes used
for unique minerals or specimens.
• Adamantine - very gemmy crystals
• Dull - just a non-reflective surface of any kind
• Earthy - the look of dirt or dried mud
• Fibrous - the look of fibers
• Greasy - the look of grease
• Gumdrop - the look a sucked on hard candy
• Metallic - the look of metals
• Pearly - the look of a pearl
• Pitchy - the look of tar Submetallic Lustre
• Resinous - the look of resins such as dried glue or chewing gum
• Silky - the look of silk, similar to fibrous but more compact
• Submetallic - a poor metallic luster, opaque - reflecting little light
• Vitreous - the most common luster, it means the look of glass
• Waxy - the look of wax
 SYMMETRY OPERATIONS AND CRYSTALLOGRAPHIC AXES

THESE ARE THE SEVEN CRYSTALLOGRAPHIC SYSTEMS:

• ISOMETRIC, requires 4 three fold axis of rotation.

• TETRAGONAL, requires 1 four fold axis of rotation.
• HEXAGONAL, requires 1 six fold axis of rotation.
• TRIGONAL, requires 1 three fold axis of rotation.
• ORTHORHOMBIC, requires either 3 two fold axis of rotation or 1 two fold axis of rotation
and two mirror planes.
• MONOCLINIC, requires either 1 two fold axis of rotation or 1 mirror plane.
• TRICLINIC, requires either a center or only translational symmetry.
 Minerals are classified by their chemical composition:

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Earth’s crust is mainly silicon and
oxygen

Silicates are polymers –

the silica tetrahedra link
together
 SILICATES

Ferromagnesian (mafic) silicates: Felsic silicates: contain Ca, K, Na, are light in color, low
Contain Fe and Mg, are dark in color, high density
density
 Quartz
 Olivine
 Feldspar (K-feldspar & plagioclase)
 Pyroxene (augite)
 Amphibole (hornblende)
 Muscovite (mica)

 Biotite (mica)
 The density difference between the mantle and crust, and the oceanic and
continental crust is caused by the different abundances of mafic & felsic silicates

 Mantle - olivine & pyroxene

Oceanic crust - olivine, pyroxene &
feldspar
Continental crust - mainly feldspar
& quartz
Common minerals in the Earth’s crust
 CONCLUSION
 Understand the concept of rock forming minerals.
 Know the basic principles of mineral identification.

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