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1. Inorganic
2. Naturally occurring
3. Homogeneous solid
4. Definite chemical composition
5. Contains atoms that arrange in patterns to form a crystalline structure
What are the five requirements for a compound or element to be a mineral?
oxygen, silicon, aluminum
80% of all minerals contain at least 1 of 3 chemical elements: ______,_________,_______.
Crystal
_____ - solid form of a mineral having SMOOTH FLAT surfaces
Orthorhombic System
Which crystal shape/habit is this?
- Rhombus sided crystals usually with pointed ends
- Examples: sulfur, topaz
PYRITE
(iron sulfide)
FeS2
What is an example of a sulfide?
Sulfites
What is a mineral composed of a metal plus sulfur and oxygen?
silicon and oxygen plus any of the other minerals on the periodic table.
What are silicates composed of?
Graphite and diamond, both have the element carbon
What is an example of polymorphism?
Streak
The color of the powdered mineral on a piece of unglazed porcelain or tile
Streak
What property is only tested for metallic lusted minerals and dark nonmetallics?
2.2
What is the specific gravity value of halite?
7.5
What is the specific gravity value of galena?
Loadstone
(A variety of magnetite) is a natural magnet in the Earth's crust
Piezoelectric
Some minerals give off weak electrical charges such as Quartz
Optical projection
Image is transmitted by fibers to the top of the mineral surface
limestone and used to make cement
Where are carbonates found?
copper iron
What is Bornite composed of?
glassy
What is calcite's luster?
pearly
What is talc's luster?
silky
What is Gypsum's luster?
1
What is the hardness of talc?
hackly
- shows rough, jagged edges
(ex. copper)
sphalerite (ore of zinc), Chert & Flint (types of microcrystallized quarts)
What are examples of triboluminescent minerals?
Any CO3 mineral such as Calcite and Dolomite
What are example of minerals that fizz with the acid test?
40
How many common minerals are there?
Scratch
In the mohs scale of hardness, the mineral with the higher number can ________ any mineral beneath it or equal to it in hardness
Specific gravity
The relative weight of the mineral compared to the weight of an equal volume of water. (Similar to density, but no units are used.)
Fluorescent
Certain minerals glow different colors while under ultraviolet light
Phosphorescent
When the mineral continues to glow after the UV light is off it is __________.
4,000
How many minerals are recognized on the Earth?
15
Of the 40 common minerals, how many are true rock-forming minerals?
external and internal
A crystal shows an ______ and ______ pattern of its atoms
Rock Crystal Quartz
What is an example of a crystal?
crystalline
______ - mineral which just shows an internal pattern of its atoms (no external patter)
Crystalline, crystals
All minerals are ___________, but not all minerals are _______.
Mineraloids
______ - a solid or liquid substance that lacks an internal pattern of its atoms
Water, mercury, and opal
What are some examples of mineraloids?
1. Crystal shape
2. chemical composition
What are the scientific classifications of minerals?
Crystallography
_____ - the study of mineral crystals
Cubic (Isometric) system
Which crystal shape/habit is this?
- Cube-shaped crystals with 3 equal axies
- Examples: Halite, Pyrite, and Galena
Tetragonal System
Which crystal shape/habit is this?
- Four sided crystals with 1 unequal axis. Can have pyramids on top and bottom.
- Examples: Rutile, Zircon
Hexagonal System
Which crystal shape/habit is this?
- Six sided crystals (can have pointed ends)
- Examples: quartz, calcite
Monoclinic System
Which crystal shape/habit is this?
- Flat sheeted crystals
- Examples: Mica, Gypsum
Triclinic System
Which crystal shape/habit is this?
- The crystal is like the monoclinic in layers, but three different angles
- Examples: Microcline feblspar (Amazonstone)
Twinning
What is the special crystal shape?
staurolite, Gypsum, and Quartz
What are some examples of twinning?
Twinning
_____ - crystals grow together usually at right angles to each other
7
How many major chemical groups of minerals are there?
Native
"__________" elements - minerals composed of only 1 element on the periodic table
Gold, silver, copper, and sulfur
What are some examples of native elements?
Halides
_____ - smallest group of minerals composed of a metal plus a halogen (salt compound)
Halite (NaCl)
What is an example of a halide?
Oxides
____ - minerals composed of any metal plus the element oxygen
Hermatite (Iron oxide) a major ore of iron
What is an example of an oxide?
Sulfides
____ minerals composed of any metal plus the element sulfur
Carbonates
What is a mineral composed of any metal plus carbon and oxygen?
Silicates
What is the largest and most important group of minerals?
Into the light and dark silicates
How are silicates divided?
Quartz
What is the basic silicate?
quartz
What is the most common mineral on Earth?
Microcline Feldspar, KAlSi3O8
Most silicates are complex, like ___________
Polymorphism
____ - different minerals composed of same chemical elements, but having 2 different crystal structures
Mineralogists
_______ scientifically use the crystal shape and chemical composition, while amateurs use minerals' physical properties to identify them.
7
How many major physical properties are there?
Color
____ - probably the most noticeable feature of a mineral, but can fool the "best" in a positive identification
1. Different minerals may have the same color
2. Some minerals have impurities which give them different colors
3. Some minerals change color when weathered
What are the general rules of color in mineral identification?
Calcite and quartz
What is an example of different minerals having the same color?
Manganese gives amethyst quartz its purple color
What is an example of impurities giving minerals different colors?
Bornite
What is an example of a mineral changing color when weathered?
True
True or false? Certain minerals can be positively identified by their distinctive color
Azurite and malachite
What are examples of copper minerals (blue-green)
Luster
The way the light reflects or shines off a mineral
Metallic and nonmetallic
What are the two general types of luster?
Metallic
If the mineral looks like a metal, what luster group is it in?
Nonmetallic
If the mineral does not look like a metal
Pyrite and Galena
What are some examples of luster metallic minerals?
Quartz and calcite
What are some examples of nonmetallic luster minerals?
False
True or false? The color of the streak is the same as the color of the mineral
Hardness
The resistance of a mineral to being scratched
Friedrich Mohs
Who developed the mohs scale of hardness in 1822?
2.5
What is the hardness value of a fingernail?
3
What is the hardness value of a copper penny?
3.5
What is the hardness value of glass?
6.5
What is the hardness value of a steel washer?
Cleavage
the way a mineral tends to break into smooth, flat planes (usually splits along weaknesses in the internal or atomic structure of the mineral).
fracture
Unorganized breakage of a mineral. Uneven pattern with no smooth, flat surfaces
True
True or false? Perfect cleavage is rare with minerals. Most show fracture or a combination of cleavage/fracture
Conchoidal and hackly
What are some unique types of fracture of minerals?
2.6
What is the specific gravity value of quartz?
2.7
What is the specific gravity value of calcite?
3.2
What is the specific gravity value of fluorite?
4.1
What is the specific gravity value of sphalerite?
5 to 6
What is the specific gravity value of Pyrite?
19.3
What is the specific gravity value of gold?
True
True or false? Metallic minerals usually have higher specific gravity values
1. Making precise measurements with the balance to determine mass and with the graduated cylinder to determine volume.
2. May have impurities in the mineral sample which would affect SG value.
3. Some minerals may dissolve in water when tested.
What are the disadvantages of using the specific gravity test?
magnetic
What is certain minerals containing iron can be picked up by a magnet?
Tourmaline
The mineral _______ produces electrical charges when heated
Radioactivity
Some minerals such as uraninite and carnotite contain radioactive elements
Using Geiger counter
How can radioactivity be measured?
Note 
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