Topic 6: Minerals
Minerals: Building Blocks of Rocks
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Minerals
Building blocks of rocks
Definition of a mineral
• Naturally occurring
• Inorganic
• Solid
• Ordered internal Atomic structure (Crystals)
• Definite chemical composition (e.g. NaCl,
CaCO3)
Definition of a rock
• A solid aggregate of minerals
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Is the Iced a mineral?
Is the water a mineral?
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Composition of minerals
Elements
• Basic building blocks of minerals
• Over 114 are known (92 naturally occurring)
Atoms
• Smallest particles of matter
• Retain all the characteristics of an element
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Atomic Number & Mass Number
Atomic Number: the number of protons in
the nucleus.
Mass Number: the total number of protons
and neutrons in an atom
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The periodic table
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Dmitri Mendeleev
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Rules to remember
1. Elements in the same group tend to show
patterns in atomic radius,
ionization energy, and electronegativity.
From top to bottom in a group, the atomic
radii of the elements increase.
2. Moving left to right across a period,
atomic radius usually decreases. This
occurs because each successive element
has an added proton and electron which
causes the electron to be drawn closer to
the nucleus
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Rules to remember
Composition of minerals
Atomic structure
• Central region called the nucleus
Consists of protons (positive charges) and
neutrons (neutral charges)
• Electrons
Negatively charged particles that surround
the nucleus
Located in discrete energy levels called shells
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Idealized structure of an atom
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An ion is an atom or group of atoms that has a charge. Ions with a positive charge are called cations. Ions with a
negative charge are called anions. Many normal substances exist in the body as ions.
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Composition of minerals
Chemical bonding
• Formation of a compound by combining
two or more elements
Ionic bonding
• Atoms gain or lose outermost (valence)
electrons to form ions
• Ionic linkage formed from attraction
between oppositely charged ions
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Halite (NaCl)
An example of ionic bonding
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Composition of minerals
Covalent bonding
• Atoms share electrons to achieve electrical
neutrality
• Covalent compounds are generally
stronger than ionic bonds
• Both ionic and covalent bonds typically
occur in the same compound (Bonds are
rarely 100 percent ionic or covalent in
character)
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Covalent bonding
Sharing of valence electrons
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If an atom has four electrons in their outer shell , they generally form covalent bonds i.e.
such atoms neither lose electrons nor gain electrons , but share electrons to reach its
electric neutrality (stability)
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Composition of minerals
Other types of bonding
• Metallic bonding
Valence electrons are free to migrate among
atoms
Weaker and less common than ionic or
covalent bonds
In a metallic bond, the valence electrons are
free to move throughout the metal lattice,
creating a “sea” of electrons that are shared
among all the metal atoms.
This delocalization of electrons allows metals
to conduct electricity and heat very well.
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https://g.co/kgs/Pysjr3N
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Composition of minerals
Isotopes and radioactive decay
• Mass number is the sum of neutrons plus
protons in an atom
• An isotope is an atom that exhibits
variation in its mass number
• Some isotopes have unstable nuclei that
emit particles and energy in a process
known as radioactive decay
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Structure of minerals
Minerals consist of an orderly array of
atoms chemically bonded to form a
particular crystalline structure
For ionic compounds, the internal atomic
arrangement is primarily determined by
the size of ions involved
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Structure of minerals
Polymorphs
• Two or more minerals with the same
chemical composition but different
crystalline structures
• Diamond and graphite are good examples
of polymorphs
The transformation of one polymorph to
another is called a phase change
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Diamond and Graphite – Polymorphs of
carbon
Cubic Crystallization
Octahedral cleavage
Brittle
Hard
Spec. Gravity 3.5
Colorless
Translucent
Brilliant Luster
Hexagonal Crystallization
Flaky cleavage
Flexible
Soft
Spec. Gravity 2.2
Black
Opaque
Metallic or dull Luster 23
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 (Euhedral, subhedral
and anhedral crystals)
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Quartz crystals
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Physical properties of minerals
Luster
• Appearance of a mineral in reflected light
• Two basic categories
* Metallic: has the appearance of metals, like: Galena, Pyrite.
* Nonmetallic: are many types
Adamantine : very high lustre, like diamond
Vitreous (glassy) : glassy (broken glass surface)
Silky : like silk, usually in fibrous structures
Pearly : like pearls
Waxy : like wax
Earth/Dull : absence of luster like earth
Resinous : Characteristic of resin, such as amber
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Galena (PbS) displays
metallic luster
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Physical properties of minerals
Color
• Generally an unreliable diagnostic
property to use for mineral identification
• Often highly variable for a given mineral
due to slight changes in mineral chemistry
(impurities).
• Exotic colorations of some minerals
produce gemstones
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Quartz (SiO2) exhibits
a variety of colors
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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
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Streak
The color of a powdered mineral
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Streak
The color of a powdered mineral
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Mohs scale of
hardness
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Testing of sample hardness
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Testing of sample hardness
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Testing of sample hardness
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Testing of sample hardness
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Physical properties of minerals
Cleavage
• Tendency to break along planes of weak
bonding
• Produces flat, shiny surfaces
• Described by resulting geometric shapes
Number of planes
Angles between adjacent planes
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Some minerals have one cleavage plane like
mica(Biotite and Muscovite).
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Examples of perfect cleavage
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Common
cleavage
directions
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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
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Conchoidal fracture of Quartz
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Specific Gravity
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Other properties
Property Mineral
Magnetism Magnetite
Reaction to hydrochloric Calcite
acid (HCl)
Double refraction Calcite
Taste Halite
Smell Sulphur
Elasticity Mica
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Classification of minerals
Nearly 4200 minerals have been identified on
Earth.
The most important are Only a few dozen of minerals
They called:
Rock-forming minerals
• Common minerals that make up most of the
rocks of Earth’s crust
• Composed mainly of the 8 elements that make
up < 98 % of the continental crust
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Elemental abundances
in continental crust
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Classification of minerals
Silicates group
• The most important mineral group
Comprise most of the rock-forming minerals
Very abundant due to large amounts of silicon and
oxygen in Earth’s crust
• The Basic building block in all silicates is the
silicon-oxygen tetrahedron: (SiO4)-4
Four oxygen ions surrounding a much smaller
silicon ion
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Two illustrations of the Si–O
tetrahedron
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Classification of minerals
Silicate structures
• Single tetrahedra are linked together to form
various structures including:
Single tetrahedron
Ring structures
Single chain structures
Double chain structures
Sheet or layered structures
Complex three-dimensional structures (3 D
neteworks silicates)
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Classification of minerals
Common silicate minerals
• Olivine
High-temperature Fe-Mg silicate
The first mineral crystalizes from magma.
Individual tetrahedra linked together by iron
and magnesium ions
Forms small, rounded crystals with no cleavage
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Classification of minerals
Common silicate minerals
• Pyroxene group
Oxygen atoms are shared on two corners of each
tetrahedral.
Single chain structures involving iron and
magnesium
Two distinctive cleavages at nearly 90 degrees
Augite is the most common mineral in the
pyroxene group
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Classification of minerals
Common silicate minerals
• Amphibole group
Double chain structures involving a variety of
ions
Two perfect cleavages exhibiting angles of 120
and 60 degrees
Hornblende is the most common mineral in
the amphibole group
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Single and double chain structures
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Hornblende Crystal Habit
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Classification of minerals
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
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Biotite
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Classification of minerals
Common silicate minerals
• Feldspar group
Most common mineral group
Three-dimensional framework of tetrahedra
exhibit two directions of perfect cleavage at 90
degrees
Orthoclase (potassium feldspar or K-Feldspar)
and plagioclase (sodium and calcium feldspar) are
the two most common members
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K-feldspar (Orthoclase)
3D framework of tetrahedron exhibit two directions of perfect cleavage at 90 o
Classification of minerals
• Common silicate minerals
• Quartz
– Low-temperature silicate mineral
– Three-dimensional framework of tetrahedra
exhibit no cleavage (concoidal fracture).
– SiO2 composition.
– The last mineral crystallize from the magma
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Classification of minerals
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
It is very fine grain size (less than 1/256 mm)
Most originate as products of chemical
weathering of mics minerals (Biotite &
Muscovite)
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Very fine grain size of Clay
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Classification of minerals
Important nonsilicate minerals:
Several major Chemical groups exist including:
Chemical Anion Mineral Chemical
Group Group Formula
Native Gold Au
elements
Silver Ag
Oxides (O)-2 Hematite Fe2O3
Hydroxides (OH)-1 Brucite Mg(OH)2
Carbonates Calcite CaCO3
(CO3) -2
Dolomite Ca, Mg(CO3)2
Sulphates (SO4)-2 Gypsum CaSO4.2H2O
Sulfides (S)-2 Galena PbS
Halides (Cl, F, Br, I)-1 Halite NaCl
Phosphates (PO4)-3 Ca5(PO4)3(OH,F,Cl)
Apatite
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Classification of minerals
Important nonsilicate minerals
• Carbonates group
Primary constituents in limestone and
dolostone rocks
Calcite (calcium carbonate) and dolomite
(calcium-magnesium carbonate) are the two
most important carbonate minerals
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Classification of minerals
Important nonsilicate minerals
• Many nonsilicate minerals have economic
value
• Examples
Hematite (Fe2O3) and Magnetite (Fe3O4)
(oxides mined for iron ore)
Halite (NaCl) (halide mined for salt)
Sphalerite (ZnS) (sulfide mined for zinc ore)
Native Copper (Cu) (native element mined
for copper)
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Mineral Groups
Mineral resources
Ore
- Rocks or sediments containing selected elements in sufficient
concentration and quantity that they can be extracted economically
-A useful metallic mineral that can be mined at a profit
- Profitability may change because of economic changes
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Mineral resources
The endowment of useful minerals
ultimately available commercially
• Mineral resources include
Reserves – already identified deposits
Known deposits that are not yet economically
or technologically recoverable
Reserves
End of Chapter 3
