Chapter 4

Minerals

Section 1 What is a mineral?

 Objectives
1) Understanding of how mineral is defined.
2) Understanding of how mineral is formed.
3) Understanding the classification of
minerals.
 Vocabulary
Mineral
Crystal
Luster
Hardness
Cleavage
Fracture
Streak
Specific gravity
 What is a mineral?

Mineral is……

5 criteria:
1) naturally occurring (not made by human)
2) inorganic (not made from living things)
3) solid
4) specific chemical composition
5) definite crystalline structure
Crystal = a solid in which the atoms
are arranged in repeating patterns.
Giant Crystal Cave, Naica, Mexico
 Minerals form from:

1) from Magma
2) from Solution
Supersaturated solution →atoms bond
together → mineral crystal precipitate
Speed of cooling down:
1. Slow → atoms have time to arrange
themselves → large crystal
2. Fast → atoms have no time to arrange
themselves → small crystal
 Variations in Composition
1) Slight change in chemical composition
can affect mineral’s appearance.
Quartz

2) Temperature changes cause difference in

growth pattern of minerals.
How do you identify the types minerals?

1) Crystal form
2) Luster
3) Hardness
4) Cleavage and fracture
5) Streak
6) Color
7) Special properties
8) Texture
9) Density and specific gravity
Crystal form = distinct shape of
crystal

Crystal form of table salt

Luster = the way that a mineral
reflects light from its surface.
Hardness = a measure of how easily a
mineral can be scratched.

• Mohs Scale of Hardness

Engraving using diamond
Cleavage = how a mineral will break
Fracture = break with rough or
jagged edges
Streak = the color of mineral when it
is broken up and powdered.

Streak test to identify

the type of mineral.
Gold and pyrite streak test
 Color
Fluorite Amethyst

Different minerals, same color

Quartz
• Caused by presence
of trace elements or
compound within a
mineral.
Same mineral, different colors
Special properties
Texture = describes how a mineral feels to
the touch.
• Smooth Examples:

• Rough
Talc has a “greasy” texture
• Ragged
• Greasy
• Soapy Kaolin has a “soapy” texture

Bauxite has a “rough” texture

Density and specific gravity

• Specific gravity = the ratio of the mass of a

substance to the mass of an equal volume of
water at 4oC.
 Homework
• Page 95 (Q1, 4, 7)