Mineral

Why should we care?

Nearly all manufactured
products we use are obtained
from minerals.

aluminum: soft drink cans

graphite (carbon): our pencil lead
copper: wire for our electricity
talc: baby powder
silver & gold: our jewelry
silicon: our computer chips

Important geologic events that

affect us involves rocks and minerals.

volcanic eruptions
earthquakes
weathering and erosion
mountain building

We know what a MINERAL is,

but what is a ROCK?
A ROCK:
1) is solid;
2) contains a mixture of one or more minerals;
and
3) occurs naturally as part of our planet.

rock

minerals

mineral

Example From
Textbook:
Figure 2.2
Granite & constituent
minerals

So far we have:

rock

minerals

mineral

collection of
one or more

minerals

A collection
of one or more
types of atoms

Mineral Properties
Each and every mineral has certain mineral
properties. The properties of each mineral
depends on the following:
1) The type of elements present (i.e. composition)
2) The arrangement of atoms (i.e. structure)
3) The strength of bonding (i.e. ionic, covalent
(molecular), or metallic)
Reference:
Tarbuck
and Lutgens Pages 39 44

Reminder - Bonding
How do different atoms combine?

Bonding

3 Main Ways:
ionic bond lose or gain electrons to form ions.
Positive ions (cations) attract negative ions (anions).
covalent bond - sharing electrons.
metallic bond - electrons are free to move about
from atom to atom.

Halite
Halite (Rock Salt) is brittle in nature due to
the ionic bonding between the sodium and
chloride ions.

Speaking of Atomic Arrangement (Structure)

Consider diamond versus graphite!
Note that completely different minerals can form from the
same atom, depending on how the atoms are arranged.
pressure = closer packing of atoms = different substance.
Temperature and pressure conditions under which minerals
form are very important.

Diamond Versus Graphite

Diamond and graphite are polymorphs of the element
carbon; however, they differ in terms of the mineral
properties hardness and cleavage due to arrangement of the
carbon atoms.
Diamond is hard and has no cleavage since the carbon
atoms are arranged in a network covalent structure. This
does not allow for any weak planes of bonding.
Graphite is soft and has perfect basal cleavage (sheets) since
the carbon atoms are arranged in planes of strong bonding
with planes of weak bonding in between.

Graphite:

Soft gray material

Used as pencil lead lubricant
Crystal structure: sheets of pure carbon

Diamond:
Forms deep in Earth at high pressures
Pure Carbon
Hardest substance known to humans
Crystal structure: dense and compact

Quartz Versus Mica

Quartz and mica could also be compared
and contrasted. They compare in that both
are comprised of the silicon-oxygen
tetrahedron. They contrast in that quartz
exhibits fracture and mica exhibits basal
cleavage. I.E. Structure and Bonding

Mineral Properties
The following are a list of physical properties
that minerals could display:
1) Specific Gravity LATER so important its own class
2) Hardness
3) Cleavage Versus Fracture
4) Streak
5) Luster
6) Colour
7) Others

Taste, Feel, Magnetism, Acid Test,

Crystal Form, Smell, Double Refraction,
Tenacity, and Fluorescence.

Hardness
Definition: The resistance of a mineral to
scratching.
Hardness is expressed in terms of Mohs Hardness
Scale, which ranks relative hardness from 1 10.
You could use a rhyme to
remember the hardness
scale:

Tonight
Ghosts
Come
From
Africa

On
Quads
To
Catch
Dinosaurs

Hardness

The following objects can be used when trying to

determine the hardness of different minerals:

If the object scratches the mineral, then the

object is harder than the mineral.

Hardness
Nail - hardness of 4.5
scratches a mineral.
Mineral is softer!

Fingernail - hardness
of 2.5 scratches a
mineral. Mineral is
softer!

Mineral scratches a
piece of glass (hardness
of 5.5). Mineral is
harder!

Cleavage

Definition: The tendency of some minerals to break

along smooth, flat, parallel surfaces.

Cleavage follows areas of weak bonding.

Cleavage directions are determined by atomic
structure as well as the strength of bonding.

MICA

Cleavage Plane Directions

Minerals show cleavage in many different

directions, but most common are in planes of one,
two, and three directions.

Cleavage in one direction is called basal cleavage.

Example: Mica

Cleavage Plane Directions

Cleavage in two directions.

Example: Orthoclase feldspar displays
this type of cleavage.

Cleavage Plane Directions

Cleavage in three directions.

Examples: Halite, Galena, and Pyrite.

Calcite also got three directions of

cleavage.

Fracture

A mineral that do not have any cleavage planes is said to

break by Fracture, which is the tendency of a mineral
to break irregularly. Example is glass or the mineral
quartz, which is said to have Conchoidal Fracture. This is
a curved breakage that resembles the concentric shape of a
mussel shell.

Fracture

Another example of a mineral that fractures is asbestos.

This mineral displays a Fibrous Fracture.

Streak

The true color of the mineral. It is the colour of the

mineral in its powdered form.

To find the streak of a mineral, you must perform a

streak test. To do this, you scratch a mineral across
an unglazed porcelain tile and the powder streak
left on the tile is the true color of the mineral.

Luster

The appearance of the mineral in reflected light.

Most minerals can be described as either:
1. Metallic
OR
2. Non-Metallic
A) Glassy
B) Greasy
C) Earthy or Dull
D) Pearly

Metallic Luster

Most minerals can be described as:

1. Metallic
Pyrite

Galena

Non-metallic Glassy Luster

2. Non-Metallic

Halite

A) Glassy
Calcite

Non-metallic Greasy Luster

2. Non-Metallic

B) Greasy

Non-metallic Earthy (Dull) Luster

2. Non-Metallic

C)
Earthy .
or Dull

Non-metallic Pearly Luster

2. Non-Metallic

D) Pearly

Colour

The actual colour of the mineral that you see.

This property is less distinctive.

(not as reliable as the others) WHY?

Three reasons:
1) Different minerals can have the same color.

Halite
Calcite

 Various blue minerals.

Color

2) Some minerals may have impurities, which

cause a single mineral to have different colors.

Impurities simply mean a little more of one or more elements.

Varieties of the mineral quartz. Transparent or colourless

when pure.

 3) Surface oxidation can change a minerals color.

Sample Problem
Explain why colour is NOT a reliable property for identifying minerals.

Answer:
A single mineral may have different colours due to the presence of impurities.
Examples include various colors of quartz, fluorite, calcite, etc. Also, different
minerals can have the same color. Examples include minerals such as halite,
gypsum, calcite, etc. Or minerals may have experienced surface oxidation.

Other Properties
These properties can be
helpful to identify minerals
that are similar:

Taste - What the actual mineral tastes

like! Example: Halite (rock salt) tastes
salty.
Feel - What the mineral feels like!
Example: Graphite greasy
Example: Talc - soapy

Other Properties
These properties can be
helpful to identify minerals
that are similar:

Magnetism - If a mineral is magnetic

or not! Example: Magnetite
(Loadstone) will attract metal objects.
Acid Test - Drop acid on the sample to see
if the mineral reacts (i.e. fizzes). This test is
used to test the carbonate group. Example:
Calcite (which makes up the rocks
limestone and marble).

Other Properties
Smell: The mineral sulfur smells like rotten
eggs.

Other Properties
Double Refraction: This is an optical
property. For example, when a transparent
piece of calcite is placed over printed
material, the letters appear double.

Other Properties
Tenacity:
Mica (muscovite and biotite) will bend and
elastically snap back.
Gold is malleable, which means that it can
be hammered into sheets.

Other Properties
Crystal Form (Shape): Already completed
in the notes.

Crystal Form - Remember

Shape or form of a crystal can reflect the orderly
internal arrangement of atoms.

Example: Quartz
(SiO2)

Crystal Faces
The smooth flat surfaces on crystals are called faces.

Other Properties
Fluorescence: When light from a source
strikes a mineral and reacts with the
component chemicals, thereby making the
mineral glow. Example: Gypsum

Sample Problem
Explain how the specific gravity of a mineral is determined.
Answer:

Specific gravity compares the weight of a mineral to the

weight of an equal volume of H2O.

(i)

Find the mass of the mineral; using a scale or balance.

(ii) Find the volume of the mineral; using the water displacement
method.
(iii) Find the weight of the mineral in water; by suspending the
mineral from the spring scale and weighing it immersed in
water.
(iv) Use the formula;
S.G. = density = m/v OR
S.G. = (weight of mineral in air)
(weight in air) - (weight in H2O)

Careers
Would you like to be a geochemist or a mineralogist?
Geochemistry: The study of the chemical composition of
Earth and other planets, chemical processes and reactions
that govern the composition of rocks (minerals make up
rocks) and soils, and the cycles of matter and energy that
transport Earth's chemical components in time and space,
and their interaction with the hydrosphere and the
atmosphere.
Mineralogy: The study of chemistry, crystal structure,
and physical (including optical) properties of minerals.
Specific studies within mineralogy include the processes
of mineral origin and formation, classification of
minerals, their geographical distribution, as well as their
utilization.

Careers
What about a gemologist or a
crystallographer?