Mineralogy (GEOL 205) Exam 1

Mineral

". . . a naturally occurring solid chemical substance formed through biogeochemical processes, having characteristic chemical composition, highly ordered atomic structure, and specific physical properties." -James D. Dana (1.2)

What minerals have defined historical ages?

Rock tools, Copper, Bronze, and Iron

The Stone Age (neolithic age), the Chalcolithic Age (defined by use of native copper), the Bronze Age (4,200 BC-1,000 BC), and the Iron Age (1,500 BC)

Mineral Commodity

A raw material or product that can be bought and sold.

Common mineral commodities: Aluminum, cement, clay minerals, copper, gold, iron, lead, phosphate rock, stone sand & gravel, zinc

Ore Mineral

These are minerals that are mined and processed for the elements they contain. Some of the most important elements include iron, aluminum, copper, zinc, and other metals associated with steel making and modern industry. (1.1.2)

Aluminum ore

Bauxite (mix of Al hydroxides)

Copper ore

Bornite (Cu5FeS4), chalcocite (Cu2S), chalcopyrite (CuFeS2), malachite (Cu2CO3[OH]2)

Chrome ore

Chromite ([Fe,Mg]Cr2O4)

Lead ore

Galena (PbS)

Iron ore

Hematite (fe2O3), ilmenite (FeTiO3)

Molybdenum ore

Molybdenite (MoS2)

Manganese ore

Pyrolusite (MnO2)

Tungsten ore

Wolframite ([Fe,Mn] WO4), scheelite (CaWO4)

Zinc ore

Sphalerite (ZnS)

Wear resistant watch bearings, jewelry, lasers.

Corundum (Al2O3)

Tan sandpaper, sand blasting material, jewelry

Garnet ([Fe,Mg,Mn]3Al2[SiO4]3)

Glass, computer integrated circuits, watch timers, photovoltaic cells, cheap jewelry

Quartz (SiO2)

Table salt

Halite (NaCl)

Soda cans, baking foil, tubing, airplane & auto structural components

Bauxite (Al[OH]3)

Sparkles in toothpaste & makeup, capacitors, circuit boards

Mica (muscovite) (KAl2[AlSi3O10][OH2])

Makeup, milkshake filler, glossy paper coating, baby powder, ceramics

Kaolinite (Al2Si2O5[OH]4)

Namesake baby powder

Talc (Mg3Si4O10[OH])

Solder, car wet batteries, "crystal glass", scuba weights, fishing sinkers,

Galena (PbS)

Phosphorus component of plant fertilizers

Phosphorite (apatite) (Ca[PO4]3[Cl,F,OH])

Liquid Metal: in thermometers and thermostat switches

Cinnabar (mercury) (HgS)

Light bulb filaments, hardened masonry drill and router bits

Scheelite (CaWO4), Wolframite ([Fe,Mn]WO4) (Tungsten W)

Wall board (drywall), plaster of Paris

Gypsum (CaSO4x2H2O)

Pencil "lead", dry powder lubricant

Graphite (C)

White pigment in paints & cosmetics, dense material in drilling muds, barium milkshakes

Barite (barium) (BaSO4)

Component of Fluoride in toothpaste, in CFC's and Aerosols and refrigerants

Floride (fluorite)

main REE of super strong magnets and another REE used for super smooth polishing

Monazite (cerium and neodymium) ([Y,La,Ce,ND] PO4)

3 non-renewable sources of energy (1 nuclear)

1 fossil fuel source also used for plastic, gasoline, oil lubricants

1 fossil fuel source mainly burned for electricity

1) Uraninite (UO2) : Nuclear

2) Petroleum/Crude oil (plastic, oil, gasoline) : Fossil Fuel

3) Bituminous coal (electricity) : Fossil Fuel

nuts, bolts, screws, washers, paper clips, railroad spikes, brown and red makeup & paint

Magnetite (Fe3O4), Hematite (Fe3O3)

Stainless Steel: what are the 3 main non Fe components of steel that make it stainless

Chromite ([Fe,Mg] Cr2O4), ilmenite (FeTiO3), molybdenite (MoS2)

Main component in Portland cement

Limestone

4 main components of concrete

Gravel, sand, Portland cement, water

Hardest saw/ knife blades, abrasives, expensive jewelry

Diamond (C)

Spy plane parts, white pigment in paints, cosmetics, and toothpaste, hip joint metal replacement parts

Ilmenite (FeTiO3) (Titanium Ti)

Element for super strong steel conductors and similar element used in capacitors of electronics, and in high temperature aircraft &nuclear reactor parts

Columbite ([Fe,Mn] [Nb,Ta]2O6) Neodymium (Nd) Tantalum (Ta)

Water supply pipes, electrical wiring, penny cladding, specialty nails

Native copper (Cu), chalcopyrite (CuFeS2), covellite (CuS)

Non-Cu component of BRASS alloy pipe fitting, keys, corrosion resistant, galvanizing material

Sphalerite (ZnS), zincite (ZnO), Willemite (Zn2SiO4)

Non-Cu component of BRONZE alloy, coins, statues, armor

Cassiterite (SnO2)

5 parts of batteries including lithium

Spodumene (LiAl[SiO3]2) cobaltite (CoAsS), graphite (C), pyrolusite (MnO2), (I actually don't know what the 5th one is, fill in the blank)

Low toxicity used in insecticides and laundry detergent

Borax ([Na2B4O7]x[10H2O])

What controls the radius of a cation?

The number of valence electrons

Abundance of most common elements in Earth's crust and mantle (12)

Oxygen, silicon, aluminum, iron, calcium, sodium, magnesium, potassium, titanium, hydrogen, phosphorus, manganese

Graphite and diamond hardness and bond strengths

Graphite is a 1-2 on the Mohs Hardness Scale and has sheet bonded carbon atoms that use a (weak) force called Van der Waals.

Diamond is a 10 on the Mohs Hardness Scale (the only naturally occurring mineral that is) and has tetrahedrally bonded atoms (very strong!)

What are polymorphs?

Minerals with the same chemical composition but different crystalline structures

EX: Diamond&Graphite, Calcite&Argonite

Pyritohedron

A mineral shaped like pyrite (5 side polygonal faces)

(pyrite)

Trapezohedron

A mineral with 4 sided faces shaped like kites

(Garnet)

Octahedron

A mineral with 8 faces, usually triangular (Fluorite)

Cube

A mineral with six square faces (Halite)

Rhombohedral

A mineral with 2 rhombus faces, and 4 rectangular faces (Calcite)

Hexagonal

A mineral in the shape of a column like hexagon (Calcite)

Dodecahedron

A mineral with 12 faces (Garnet)

Hexagonal scalenohedron

Xtl shape, obtuse triangle faces

Cube, Octahedron

A cube but with "triangular-flat" corners

Hexagonal Dipyramid, hexagonal prism

A hexagonally shaped prism with a hexagonal dipyramid capping each end

What is Diaphaneity?

The ability of a mineral to transmit light

Transparent

A mineral or something you can see through

Transluscent

A material that is only partially clear; that allows some light to enter. Example: frosted glass, some gypsum

Opaque

A mineral or something that does NOT let light through at all

Idiochromatic

A mineral who's color is defined by the elements that majority make up the mineral (EX:Malachite and azurite are brightly colored green and blue due to significant amounts of copper)

Allochromatic

A mineral who's color is defined by

Pleochroism

When a mineral has different colors observed at different angles; especially with polarized light (think thin slices rotation and XPL)

(Tourmaline, Tanzanite, Cordierite)

Iridescence

A mineral that refracts light into multiple colors, appearing as an oil spill (iris quartz)

Opalescence

exhibiting a milky iridescence like that of an opal, rainbow like (opal, moon stone)

Asterism

when scattered light appears star like

Chatoyancy

BANDS of scattered light

Fluorescence

the property of a mineral in which the mineral glows under ultraviolet light

Phosphorescence

continuous emission of light from a substance requiring neither heat nor sustained exposure to radiation

Metallic Luster

Luster giving a substance the appearance of being made of metal: shiny and mirror like. (Some hematite, galena, chalcopyrite)

Specular

In respect to iron ores: mirror like (Specular Hematite)

Dull/Earthy

Not reflecting significant amount of light or play of color (kaolinite, some hematite)

Greasy luster

reflecting light to give play of color like an oil spill

Resinous/waxy

having the appearance of wax (graphite, slag)

Silky/satiny/velvety

Surfaces appearing composed of small fibers (gypsum)

Vitreous

Having a glassy, shiny appearance (quartz)

Pearly

appearing iridescent, similar to a natural pearl or seashell (mica)

Adamantine

brilliant luster (diamond)

Aventurescence

A glittery effect caused by light reflecting from small, flat inclusions within a gemstone (sun stone)

Rutilated

A mineral with rutile shooting through it (rutilated quartz)

Acicular

Needle like (scolecite)

Amygdaloidal

A rock containing amygdules, almond shaped nodules (basalt)

Asbestiform

Small strong flexible fibers (asbestos)

Bladed

elongated and flattened in one direction, like a blade/knife (kyanite)

Blocky

equant with nearly square x-sections (galena)

Botryoidal

Many spheres, like a bunch of grapes (amythestine, chalcedony)

Capillary or filiform

Hair like or threadlike (Serpentine)

Colloform/globular

completely rounded or spherical crystals (malachite)

Concentric

spherical layers arranged around a common center

Dendritic

appearing like a branching tree or plant

Drusy

Surface covered in fine crystals

Equant

Same dimensions in all directions (garnet)

Fibrous

consisting of or characterized by fibers (gypsum(

Foliated/micaceous

easily split into sheets (mica)

Granular

composed of individual grains(sandstone)

Massive

Appearing as one solid mass with no distinguishing features

nodular

small irregular rounded-knot mass or lump of iron concretions

Oolitic

resembling an oolite or a rock made up of an ooid (ooid ironstone)

pisolitic

Consisting of small, globular, fine grained concretions