Minerals

Families of Minerals Native Minerals: Are composed of single elemnts Au (aurum) Gold Ag (arfentyum) silver Cu (cuprum) Copper S sulfer C graphite or diamond

Most minerals are composed of Two or more elements Halite (NcCl) Quartz (SiO2)

Silicates Oxygen and Silicon combine readily with each other and with other elements to form this family of minerals Most common family of minerals and make up over 90% of all minerals This is because oxygen and silicon are the most common elements in Earth's crust Any mineral which is a Silicate myst contain Si (silicon and O (oxygen in their chemical Formula

Physical Properties <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">The physical properties of minerals are reflection of the internal arrangement of their atom. <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Color <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Least useful property change in the chemical formula will vary the color of the mineral (quartz)(SiO2) <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Cyrstal Quartz

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Rose Quartz <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Contains titanium oxide and manganese oxide to make a rose color <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Luster <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">the way a mineral shines in reflected light <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Metallic-looks like metal in the way the mineral reflects light (Galena or Pyrite) <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Non-Metallic- does nort look like plished metal, so other terms are used <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Viteous-Shiny glass like *(quartz) <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Pearly looks like pearls when light is reflected off the surface (opal)

Waxy-dull shine like Candle wax <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">(sulfer,olivine) <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> Earthy- No shine at all (bauxite) <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> Adamantine- Brilliant glow beam of light at a certain angle (diamond)

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Streak <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">The color of a minerals powder How do you fin the streak color of a mineral? <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Rub the mineral against a streak plate and observe the powders color

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Breakage Pattern <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Cleavlage-Tendenct if of a mineral separate along planes of weakness <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">One plane of weakness basal cleveallge (MICA) <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Two planes of cleavage at 90 degrees (orthoclase) <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Three planes of weakness at 90 degrees=Cubic (HALITE) <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Three planes not at 90 degrees = rhombohedral (CALCITE) <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Fracture- No planes of weakness so the mineral breaks along irrefular surfaces <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Conchoidal- Surfaces are somewhat rounded shell-like (QUARTZ) <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Uneven- rough surface, no distingushiable patter <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Fibrous- Jagged surface like fibers (Wollastonite)

Hardness Resistance to be scratched is very useful since a minerals hardness is constant The scale to measure hardness was developed by Fredrick Moh is 1812 Hardness is measured on a sclae from 1 being the lowest to 10 being the highest To determine the hardness of a mineral you must try to scratch mineral against a glass plate

Mineral Name Typical 1.Talc Talcum powder baby powder 2.Gypsum Bulding materials (sheetrock) 3.Calcite Cements 4.Fluorite toothpasre 5.Apatite fertilizer 6.Feldspar floor tiles 7.Quartz watches abrasives 8.Topaz Gem stones (emerald 9.Corundim Gem stones (buby and saphie) 10 Diamond saw blades "a girls best friend"

Specail properties Odor- sometimes the powder of a mineral has a certain odor (sulfur smells like rotten eggs) Double refraction-splits light rays calcite. Flouescence- the abilty to glow under ultra voilet light (sphlrite) Specific gravity (density) some minerals have atoms very tightly packed and feel heavier because they are more dense (Galena)