Minerals/Rock

Mineral   Rock  
 

Fundamental One / More Minerals

 
Inorganic solid

Ordered internal
molecular structure

Definite chemical
composition
 
Mineral/Rock

SAB 2712
 Mineral group

q Silicon + oxygen = silica (Quartz SiO2 is pure

silica)
q Silicates minerals (Olivine Mg2Fe2SiO4 &
Orthoclase KAlSi3O8).
q 2 subgroups of silicate mineral:
Ferromagnesian silicates: (dark color, >
dense).
Nonferromagnesian silicates : (light color, <
dense)
q Carbonate mineral , (CO3)-2 :
- minerals calcite (CaCO3) : limestone.
- mineral dolomite (CaMg(CO3)2)
Si–O
tetrahedron
Silicate minerals

SAB 2712
 Classification of
Minerals
•  Important nonsilicate minerals
– Oxides
– Sulfides
– Sulfates
– Native Elements
– Carbonates
– Halides
– Phosphates
Carbonate minerals

SAB 2712
pink chalcedony

SAB 2712
Serpentine (Asbestos) : fibrous fracture
Sulphur

SAB 2712
Azurite

SAB 2712
Flourite

SAB 2712
SAB 2712
 Physical properties of
minerals
•  Crystal Form
•  External expression of the orderly
internal arrangement of atoms
•  Crystal growth is often interrupted
because of competition for space and
rapid loss of heat
The mineral quartz often
exhibits good crystal form

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 Physical properties of
minerals
•  Luster
•  Appearance of a mineral in reflected
light
•  Two basic categories
– Metallic
– Nonmetallic
•  Other terms are used to further describe
luster such as vitreous, silky, or earthy
 Luster appearance.

•  Fig 2.15a - 44
 Pyrite (fool’s gold) displays
metallic luster

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Hall, Inc.
 Physical properties of
minerals
•  Color
•  due to slight changes in mineral
chemistry
•  Exotic colorations of some minerals
produce gemstones
Quartz (SiO2) exhibits a variety of
colors
 Physical properties of
minerals
•  Streak
•  Color of a mineral in its powdered
form
•  Helpful in distinguishing different
forms of the same mineral
•  Hardness
•  Resistance of a mineral to abrasion or
scratching
•  All minerals are compared to a
standard scale called the Mohs scale
of hardness
Streak – the color of
a powdered mineral
Mohs
scale of
hardness
 Physical properties of
minerals
•  Cleavage
•  Tendency to break along planes of
weak bonding
•  Described by resulting geometric
shapes
– Number of planes
– Angles between adjacent planes
Common
cleavage
directions
Cleavage – fluorite,
halite, and calcite

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 Physical properties of
minerals
•  Fracture
•  Absence of cleavage when a mineral is
broken
•  Specific Gravity
•  Ratio of the weight of a mineral to the
weight of an equal volume of water
•  Average value is approximately 2.7
Conchoidal fracture
 Physical properties of
minerals
•  Magnetism
•  Reaction to hydrochloric acid
•  Taste
•  Smell
 Classification of
Minerals
•  Nearly 4000 minerals have been
identi-fied on Earth
•  Rock-forming minerals
•  Common minerals that make up most
of the rocks of Earth’s crust
•  Only a few dozen members
•  Composed mainly of the 8 elements
that make up over 98% of the
continental crust
Elemental abundances
in continental crust
•  Common Silicate minerals
(Ferromagnesium)
•  Olivine
– High temperature Fe-Mg silicate
•  Pyroxene Group
– Single chain structures involving iron and
magnesium
– Two distinctive cleavages at nearly 90
degrees
•  Hornblende is the most common
mineral in the amphibole group
Hornblende crystals

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Inc.
•  Common Silicate minerals
•  Mica Group
– Sheet structures that result in one
direction of perfect cleavage
– Biotite is the common dark colored mica
mineral
– Muscovite is the common light colored
mica mineral
•  Common Silicate minerals
•  Feldspar Group
– tetrahedra exhibit two directions of
perfect cleavage at 90 degrees
– Orthoclase (potassium feldspar) and
Plagioclase (sodium and calcium
feldspar) are the two most common
members
 Potassium feldspar

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Plagioclase feldspar
•  Common Silicate minerals
•  Clay minerals
– Clay is a general term used to describe a
variety of complex minerals
– Clay minerals all have a sheet or layered
structure
– Most originate as products of chemical
weathering
•  Important nonsilicate minerals
•  Carbonates
– Primary constituents in limestone and
dolostone
– Calcite (calcium carbonate) and Dolomite
(calcium-magnesium carbonate) are the
two most important carbonate minerals
•  Important nonsilicate minerals
•  Many nonsilicate minerals have
economic value
•  Examples
– Hematite (oxide mined for iron ore)
– Halite (halide mined for salt)
– Sphalerite (sulfide mined for zinc ore)
– Native Copper (native element mined for
copper)
Native Copper

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 Mineral resources
•  Ore
–  A useful metallic mineral that can be
mined at a profit
–  Must be concentrated above its average
crustal abundance
–  Profitability may change because of
economic changes
 Dark-coloured mineral silicates
Mineral Colour SG Hardness Cleavages
Olivine Green/dark 3.5+ 6.5 None (poor
green fracture)
Pyroxene Black/brown 3.3 5.5 2
(augite)
Hornblende Black 3.3 5.5 2
Biotite Brown 3 2.5 1 (perfect)
Garnet Red (variable) 3.5+ 7 None

Light-coloured mineral silicates

Mineral Colour SG Hardness Cleavages
Feldspars White, pink, variable 2.7 6 2
Clays White 2.6 2 – 2.5 1 perfect
Quartz Colourless, white, red, 2.65 7 None
variable
Muscovite Colourless 2.7 2.5 1 perfect
Cleavage in mineral biotite (mica): flaky
Cleavage in mineral calcite : 3 direction