MineralsMinerals

What is a mineral?What is a mineral?

• Solid (hard)• Natural (not man

made)• Inorganic (not living)• Crystal structure

(repeating pattern)• Definite composition

(made of the same thing throughout)

Common Examples of MineralsCommon Examples of Minerals

• Gold

• Diamond

• Quartz

• Feldspar

• Copper

How to tell them apartHow to tell them apart

• Properties or Characteristics

– Physical traits of the mineral

PropertiesProperties

• Color– Least useful, the same

mineral can be many colors

PropertiesProperties

• Transparency– How see through the mineral is

Some Transparent Examples:

TRANSPARENT TRANSLUCENT OPAQUE

PropertiesProperties

• Luster– The way the light

reflects off the mineral

PropertiesProperties

• Crystal Shape– Repeating patterns

                       

    

                           

              

                    

       

                           

                       

    

                             

     

PropertiesProperties

• Streak- The color of a mineral’s powder

• Some minerals do not leave powder

PropertiesProperties

• Hardness– What the mineral can

scratchDiamond 10

Corundum 9

Topaz 8

Quartz 7

Orthoclase (Feldspar) 6

Apatite 5

Fluorite 4

Calcite 3

Gypsum 2

Talc 1

2.5 Fingernail

2.5–3 Gold, Silver

3 Copper penny

4-4.5 Platinum

4-5 Iron

5.5 Knife blade

6-7 Glass

6.5 Iron pyrite

7+ Hardened steel file

Mohs Hardness Scale

PropertiesProperties

• Cleavage- breaks into flat sheets

• Fracture- breaks jaggedly

PropertiesProperties

• Reaction to acid- some minerals bubble when acid is put on them

PropertiesProperties

• Special properties– Magnetism– Optical illusions– Fluorescence