Rocks and Minerals
A mineral is a naturally occurring inorganic compound with a unique chemical structure and physical properties.
A rock is a solid, stony mass composed of a combination of minerals or other organic compounds.
For example, quartz and feldspars are minerals, but when formed together, they make a rock, granite”
To determine if an Earth rock is a mineral, it should exhibit the following characteristics
Naturally occurring
Inorganic
Can be represented by a chemical formula
Crystalline structure
Solid
Most minerals form by inorganic processes but some, identical in all respects to inorganically formed minerals, are produced by organic processes
Transparency describes how well light passes through a mineral sample
There are three degrees of transparency: transparent, translucent, and opaque.
Habit of a mineral may be define as the size and shape of the crystal, and the structure of form shown by the crystal.
1. Accicular minerals showing needle like crystal. E.g. natrolite
2. Fibrous minerals showing an aggregate of long thin fibers. E.g. Asbestos
3. Tabular minerals showing bladed habit occur as small knife blades. E.g. Kyanite
4. Granular minerals which occur as aggregate of equidimensional grains. E.g. chromites
5. Pisolitic minerals which occur as aggregate of rounded grains of a pea size. E.g. oolite
6. Columnar minerals showing columnar crystal. E.g. tourmaline
Minerals strength determines how easy the mineral breaks or deforms when exposed to stress.
Reaction with Acid. Some minerals, especially carbonate minerals, react visibly with acid. (Usually, a dilute hydrochloric acid [HCl] is used.)
When a drop of dilute hydrochloric acid is placed on calcite, it readily bubbles or effervesces, releasing carbon dioxide
67. Ductile bends easily and
does not return to its original
shape.
Flexible bends somewhat
and does not return to its
original shape.
Ductile bends easily and
does not return to its original
shape.
Flexible bends somewhat
and does not return to its
original shape.
73. To test a mineral for
magnetism, just put the
magnet and mineral together
and see if they are attracted.
74.
75.
76. Reaction with Acid.
Some minerals, especially
carbonate minerals, react
visibly with acid. (Usually, a
dilute hydrochloric acid [HCl]
is used.)
77. Taste, Odor, Feel
Some minerals have a
distinctive taste, some a
distinctive odor, and some a
distinctive feel
Notes de l'éditeur
manganite
stellerite
White topaz
Pearl quartz
anatase
muscovite
orpiment
A mineral is a naturally occurring inorganic element or compound having an orderly internal structure and characteristic chemical composition, crystal form, and physical properties. Minerals may be metallic, like gold, or nonmetallic, such as talc.https://mineralseducationcoalition.org/mining-minerals-information/minerals-elements/