Earth Science: Unit 4

Define Mineral

A naturally occurring, inorganic solid, crystalline structure, definite chemical composition

What is a Crystalline structure?

Atoms arranged in a repeating pattern.

What is Streak in mineral ID-ing?

The powder form of a mineral, more reliable than surface color

What is Hardness/Mohs Scale in mineral ID-ing?

Mohs scale ranges from 1 (talc) to 10 (diamond), hardness is a minerals resistance to being scratched

What is Luster in mineral ID-ing?

How a mineral reflects light

What is Cleavage VS Fracture in mineral ID-ing?

Cleavage is a minerals tendency to break along smooth flat surfaces, Fractures are irregular jagged breaks when not following a cleavage plane

What is specific Gravity in mineral ID-ing?

A minerals density relative to water

Put the ID-ing steps in order

observe → streak → hardness → cleavage/fracture

Define Silicate

most of Earth’s crust, contain silicon and oxygen. E.g. quartz, feldspar

Define Carbonates

minerals containing carbon and oxygen, e.g. calcite

Fluorite does what?

Fluoresces under UV

Define Halides

Salty in taste, formed from halogen elements. E.g. Halite

Define Oxides

minerals made of oxygen combined with metal, e.g. hematite, magnetite

Define Sulfide?

minerals made of sulphur and a metal, e.g. pyrite, galena

Define Native elements

Minerals made of one singular pure element, e.g. gold, copper

Define rock

A naturally occurring solid, composed of one or more minerals

How is an Igneous rock formed?

Rock formed from the cooling and solidification of magma lava.

Intrusive VS Extrusive Igneous rock

Intrusive rocks are formed underground. Slow cooling = large crystals (e.g. granite)

Extrusive rocks are formed at the surface. Fast cooling = small crystals (e.g. basalt, obsidian)

Mafic VS Felsic VS intermediate igneous rock

Mafic is dark and low in silica, felsic is light and high in silica, intermediate is diorite and andesite

How is a Sedimentary rock formed?

Rock formed from compaction, cementation through precipitation/organic remains.

What is a Clastic Sedimentary rock?

sedimentary rock made from rock fragments, e.g. sandstone

What is a Chemical Sedimentary rock?

Formed when dissolved minerals precipitate out of water, e.g. limestone

What is a Organic Sedimentary rock?

Formed from plant or animal remains, e.g. coal

What is a Metamorphic rock?

A rock thats been changed by heat, pressure, or chemical processes but has not melted.

What is a Foliated rock?

Metamorphic rock with mineral grains aligned in bands, e.g. gneiss, slate

What is a non-foliated rock?

metamorphic rock without banding, e.g. marble, quartzite

• What is the parent rock and some examples of it?

A parent rock is the original rock before metamorphosis.

• Shale → slate

• Limestone → marble

• granite → gneiss

• sandstone → quartzite

Recite the Rock cycle

magma/lava → igneous → sediments → sedimentary → metamorphic → melting → magma again

Define Ore

Rock that contains enough valuable metal to mine

Define Tailings

Waste leftover after extraction

What is Gold used for?

Electronics and jewelry

What is Gypsum used for?

Drywall

What is Halite used for?

Road salt and food

What is graphite used for?

Pencils and lubricant

What is Calcite used for?

Cement and concrete

What is Magnetite/Hematite used for?

Iron for steel

What is open pit mining?

Near-surface clearance, widespread

What is Underground mining?

Deep ore mining

What is strip mining?

Extract shallow mineral deposits, layered coal

What is Quarrying mining?

A type of open pit mining for building stone