What is a mineral? • A mineral is a naturally occurring inorganic solid, with a definite chemical composition, and an ordered atomic arrangement. (nonliving) • Minerals are naturally occurring-humans do not make them • Minerals are inorganic-They have never been alive and are not made up from plants or animals • Minerals are solids-They are not liquids (like water), or gases (like the air around you) • Minerals have a definite chemical composition -Each one is made of a particular mix of chemical elements • Minerals have an ordered atomic arrangement-The chemical elements that make up each mineral are arranged in a particular way - this is why minerals 'grow' as crystals Tend to maintain their crystal shape Layers of the Earth • Crust • Mantle • Core How are rocks made and cycled? Three forms of Rock • Igneous • Sedimentary • Metamorphic Igneous • Formed from Volcanic Action Igneous Rocks-Physical Forms • Felsic: light colored rocks that are rich in elements such as aluminum, potassium, silicon, and sodium • Mafic: dark colored rocks that are rich in calcium, iron, and magnesium, poor in silicon • Coarse-grained: takes longer to cool, giving mineral crystals more time to grow • Fine-grained: cools quickly with little to no crystals