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Mineral
Natural, non-living solid that has a definite chemical makeup and crystalline structure.

Naturally occurring
Not created by humans

Inorganic
Not living/never was alive

Regular crystalline structure
Atoms form a repeating pattern

Narrowly defined chemical formula
Chemical makeup is the same throughout the mineral.

Hardness
How easily that mineral can be scratched

Moh's scale
The hardness scale used to identify minerals; 1 is the softest; 10 is the hardest

Cleavage
The tendency of a mineral to split easily

Fracture
Rough, jagged edges when split; lack of cleavage
Luster
The way light reflects off a mineral

Non-metallic luster
Mineral that is dull or glassy

Metallic luster
Mineral that shines like a metal.

Streak
The true color of a mineral, found by scratching the crystal against a porcelain plate, producing a powder.

Crystal form
The shape of a crystal as it grows (not as it breaks.)
Silicon and oxygen
Most common elements in the Earth's crust

Quartz
Very common rock-forming mineral; very hard; used to make glass; SiO2

Feldspar
Common mineral found in granite; white or pink; makes up much of Earth's crust

Mica
Mineral with one plane of cleavage; splits into flexible sheets; examples: biotite and muscovite.

Calcite
Mineral found in limestone and marble; will fizz in acid; CaCO3

Diamond
Hardest mineral; used for cutting tools and jewelry; made of pure carbon.
Halite
Mineral name of table salt; NaCl.
Galena
Metallic mineral with silver cubic crystals; ore of lead.

Talc
Softest mineral; used for various powders.

Pyrite
Shiny gold mineral but with different properties than gold; known as 'fools gold.'

Magnetite
Important ore of iron; metallic luster; magnetic.

Hematite
Important ore of iron; can be metallic or reddish brown but always has a reddish-brown streak.

Sulfur
This mineral (and element) is bright yellow; used in fertilizers and pesticides.

Graphite
Soft metallic mineral used in pencils; made of pure carbon.

Alloy
A mixture of two or more metals
Ore
a naturally occurring solid material from which a metal or valuable mineral can be profitably extracted.
Silicates
rocks made of compounds of silicon and oxygen
Gold
soft, yellow shiny mineral used in computers and jewelry