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#3.1 - How Rocks differ from

Minerals
Rocks and Minerals
Rocks - are naturally occurring aggregates of minerals, rock fragments, or
organic matter that have been cohesively brought together by a rock-forming
process.
Minerals - naturally occurring, inorganic, solid with a definite chemical
composition and an ordered internal structure. Every mineral is unique, but they
exhibit general characteristics.
We have 118 elements
Atom = element
Compound = minerals
No elements, no minerals. No minerals, no rocks.

Which of the following is a mineral? Why and why not?

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 Steel - not a mineral because it is artificial and already processed.
Charcoal - not a mineral because charcoal can be man-made. Also, it is
organic. It comes from living organisms (from the remains of plants).
Iodized salt - not a mineral because it went through a process (combination
of iodine and salt). However, table salt is a mineral.

Petroleum - not a mineral because it is liquid, and a type of fossil fuel (from
the remains of aquatic organisms, which is organic).
Pyrite/Fool' gold - a mineral because it is solid.

Pearl - not a mineral because it is naturally occurring, solid, and came from
clamps and shells.

Characteristics of Minerals
 Naturally occurring - minerals should exist naturally. If its created artificially,
therefore, are not a mineral.

Gold

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 Iron

Jade

 Inorganic - minerals are limited to substances formed through inorganic

processes, and exclude materials derived from living organisms which
involved organic processes; should not be coming and should not be a living
organism.

Not consisting of or deriving from living matter.

Inorganic compound any substance in which two or more chemical

elements (usually other than carbon) are combined, nearly always in
definite proportions.

Substances that fulfill all the requirements but do not have an ordered
internal structure are called mineraloids examples: obsidian, pearl

 Solid - all liquids and gases- even those are naturally formed are not
considered minerals.

Essential minerals - needed by our bodies

Ores - needed by the society

 Ordered internal structure/Orderly crystalline structure - the atoms in

mineral are organized in a regular, repetitive geometric patterns or crystal
structure (because minerals are made of 2 or more elements).

The atoms are arranged in an orderly, repetitive manner.

The orderly packing of atoms is reflected in the regularly shaped objects

called crystals.

See picture

Molecular geometry (ordered internal structure)

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  Well defined chemical composition - the chemical composition of minerals
should express the exact chemical formula with the elements and compounds
in specific ratios.

Rock-forming Minerals
Quartz - can be found in fiber glass.

Feldspar - porcelains; makes the object appear to be white; also contained in

white glue.

Mica - resistors, capacitors. Mica has very high conductivity.

Calcite - chalk contains calcite.

Composition of Minerals
Silicates - contains silicon and oxygen.

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 Oxides - oxygen + other elements except silicon; metal cations bonded to
oxygen anions.

Used in magnets

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 Sulfides - contains sulfur + other elements; metal cation bonded to sulfide.

mirrors

Carbonates - carbon + other elements.

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 chalk

Native metals - consists of a single metal.

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 Properties of Minerals
 Color

Most easily observed

Usually the least useful

Can be changed by the impurities that are found in the mineral.

 Luster

The way light is reflected from a newly exposed surface.

Metallic or non-metallic

Non-metallic - vitreous (glassy), adamantine (brilliant/diamond-like),

resinous, silky, pearly, dull (earthy), greasy, etc.

Minerals with non-metallic luster are calcite, quartz and feldspar.

Types of Luster

 Streak

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 Color of the mineral in powder form.

The test is done by rubbing the mineral across a white streak

plane/unglazed porcelain streak plate.

May differ from the color of the mineral.

 Crystal Structure

Depends on the chemical composition of the mineral.

The crystal pattern of a mineral is controlled by the internal arrangement

of the atoms that make up the mineral.

Crystal Form
The shape of the mineral

Basis: will be the bond between the elements

Crystal Habit
More detailed feature

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  Habit

Outward appearance of the mineral's crystal form.

 Hardness

This is a measurement of the strength of the chemical bonds.

Can be measures by scratching it with another mineral or a reference

material with known hardness.

 Cleavage and Fracture

Cleavage

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 Fracture

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 The manner in which a mineral breaks is dependent on its molecular
bonding and structure.

Cleavage - when a mineral breaks along a flat, smooth surface.

Fracture - when a mineral breaks along an irregular surface.

Other properties that are exhibited by a limited number of minerals

include magnetism, taste, smell, double refraction, and chemical reaction
to hydrochloric acid.

Picture examples

fluorite

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 quartz

Others

Texture

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 Density

Taste

Color

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 All are fluorites

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 Common Rock-forming Minerals
The 8 elements make up the rock-forming minerals (Oxygen, Silicon,
Aluminum, Iron, Calcium, Sodium, Potassium, and Magnesium).

Silicon and Oxygen are the most common element in Earth’s crust.

Silicates – common mineral group 800 silicate minerals).

Nonsilicates – less abundant (iron and aluminum to build automobiles; copper

for electrical wiring, carbonates, sulfates and halides)

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