MINERALS

Learning Outcomes

• I can identify and describe the different properties

of minerals.
• I can identify some minerals and their uses.
• I will appreciate the importance of conserving
minerals
Minerals

Minerals - naturaly formed, generally inorganic, crystalline,

solid and has a definite chemical composition.
building blocks of rocks
Mineralogy - Branch of Geology that deals with the study of
Minerals
There are about 3,000 known minerals, of that 20 minerals
make up most rocks
 Physical Properties of Minerals
- can be used to easily identify a mineral.
1. Color
2. Streak
3. Hardness
4. Cleavage and Fracture
5. Crystalline structure
6. Transparency or diaphaneity
7. Magnetism
8. Tenacity
9. Luster
10. Odor
11. Specific Gravity
Physical Properties of Minerals
1. Color - usually the property used to identify minerals
easily. It is the result of the way minerals absorb light.
Some Colors of Quartz
Physical Properties of Minerals

2. Streak - is the color of the mineral in powder form.

For opaque minerals, if you rub the sample across a
streak plate, it will leave a colored powder. This
streak is distinctive for minerals and is used to identify
minerals.
Varieties of Hematite – all same color streak
Physical Properties of Minerals

3. Hardness - refers to the

measure of the mineral’s
resistance to scratching.
Minerals with higher
numbers will scratch
minerals below. To measure
the relative hardness of
minerals, the Moh's scale is
used.
Physical Properties of Minerals

4. Cleavage and Fractures - used to describe how minerals break into

pieces.
Some minerals split along flat surfaces (called cleavage
planes) when struck hard--this is called mineral cleavage
Other minerals break unevenly along rough or curved surfaces--this
is called fracture
A few minerals have both cleavage and fracture (mica )
Cleavage – due to weak bonds in the crystal
structure

Halite (NaCl)
Fluorite (CaF2)

HALITE

FLUORITE
 Cleavage

MUSCOVITE
BIOTITE
Rose Quartz – Conchoidal Fracture
Conchoidal Fracture - Quartz

Obsidian
Physical Properties of Minerals

5. Crystalline structure - crystal lattice, tells how a

mineral’s crystals are arranged. A hand lens is a
necessary tool in checking for crystalline structure.
crystal solid - form regular repeating three
dimensional crystal lattice
amorphous solid - forms aggregates that
have particular order or arrangement
Physical Properties of Minerals

6. Transparency or diaphaneity - indicates the extent of

light that can pass through the mineral.
Physical Properties of Minerals

7.Magnetism - indicates the ability of a mineral to attract

or repel other minerals.
8.Tenacity - level of resistance or reaction of minerals to
stress such as crushing, bending, breaking, or tearing.
9.Luster -refers to the reaction of a mineral to light. It
determines how brilliant or dull the mineral is.
Categories: Metallic or Non-metallic
Metallic – luster of metal – shines like a hard metal
Many non-metallic minerals are SHINY because they are
transparent or semi-transparent
Examples of metallic luster
 More Examples of Metallic Luster
Pyrite (FeS2) PYRITE
Galena (PbS)

GALENA
 Example of non-metallic luster
• Vitreous--quartz
 Example of non-metallic luster
• Silky--example plagioclase feldspar
Non-metallic and metallic luster – earthy
hematite – metallic hematite
Physical Properties of Minerals

10.Odor - -a distinct smell of a mineral that is usually

released from a chemical reaction when subjected to water, heat,
air or friction.
11.Specific Gravity - is a measure of the density of a
mineral. Determines how heavy the mineral is by its weight to
water.
Chemical Properties of Minerals

Another way of identifying and classifying minerals is

according to their chemical compositon. This classification was
first used in 1848 by James Dwight Dana (1813- 1895).

1. Silicate class 5. Oxide class

2. Carbonate class 6. Sulphide class
3. Sulphate class 7. Phosphate class
4. Halide class 8. Native element class
Chemical Properties of Minerals

1. Silicate Class - largest and most abundant group

containing Si and O with some Al, Mg, Fe, and Ca. (Ex.
feldspar, quartz, pyroxene, mica, garnet. olivine and
amphibole
 Chemical Properties of Minerals
2.Carbonate class - mostly found deposited in marine
environments.
3.Sulphate Class - forms in areas with high
evaporation rates and where salty waters slowly
evaporate.
(Ex. anhydrite, celestine, barite, gypsum)
4.Halide class - contains natural salts includes fluorite,
halite, sylvite and sal ammoniac components. Usually form
in lakes, and sal ammoniac components.
Chemical Properties of Minerals

• 5. Oxide class - is a diverse class. In science,

these minerals are important as that carry histories of
changes in Earth's magnetic field. They are formed
as precipitates close to Earth's surface or as oxidation
products of minerals during the process of
weathering.
• 6. Sulphide class - has important metals such as
copper, lead and silver which are considered
economically significant.
Chemical Properties of Minerals

7.Phosphate class- contains minerals with

phosphorus. Considered as important biological
mineral found in teeth and bones in many
animals.
8.Native element class - contains metals and
intermetallic elements, semimetals nonmetals or
natural alloys and constituents of a few rare
meteorites.
 SHORT QUIZ (September 6, 2023)
1. It is used to measure the relative hardness of a minerals.
2. It is considered as important biological mineral found in teeth and
bones in many animals.
3. It indicates the extent of light that can pass through the mineral.
4. It has important metals such as copper, lead and silver which are
considered economically significant.
5. It is the color of the mineral in powder form.
6. It is mostly found deposited in marine environments.
7. He used the chemical properties of minerals in identifying and
classifying chemical composition of minerals.
 SHORT QUIZ (September 6, 2023)
8. It is the largest and most abundant group containing Si and O with
some Al, Mg, Fe, and Ca.
9. It indicates the ability of a mineral to attract or repel other minerals.
10. It is a measure of the density of a mineral.