Minerals

By: Alejandra Amezcua Valdez

Instituto de Energas Renovables
amvaa@ier.unam.mx

Goethite, Wulfenite
Locality: Whim Creek Copper Mine (Whim Creek Copper prospect; Whim Well Mine), Whim Creek, Roebourne Shire, Western Australia, Australia
Photo Copyright Mark Willoughby
Geology Page www.geologypage.com
Minerals are normally defined as solid crystalline substances, form by
natural and usually inorganic processes.

Minerals are the constituents of rocks, mineral formation and rock

formation are in fact, one process.

A single mineral may form a rock, usually rocks are cohesive aggregates
of two or more minerals.
Properties of minerals
Color
Luster
Hardness
Cleavage
Fracture
Specific Gravity
Magnetism
Electricity

Rocks and Minerals, Richard M. Pearl.

Mineral Classification
I. Native Elements
II. Sulfides
III. Halides
IV. Oxides and Hydroxides
V. Nitrates
VI. Sulfates, Chromates, Molybdates and Tungstates
VII. Phosphates, Arsenates and Vanadates
VIII. Silicates
IX. Organic Substances

Simon & Schusters Guide to Rocks & Minerals

I. Native Elements
Metals
Semimetals
Nonmetals
Metals (Gold, Silver, Copper)
Gold
Chemical Formula: Au

Environment: Quartz veins and

alluvial deposits.

Locality: Sierra Nevada

Mountains, Nome, Alaska and
many other places in the world.
Semimetals (Arsenic, Bismuth, Tellurium)
Arsenic
Chemical Formula: As

Environment: In ore veins in

crystalline rocks.

Locality: Saxony, Great Britain.

Nonmetals (Diamond, Graphite, Sulfur)
Diamond
Chemical Formula: C

Environment: Gas rich, ultra-basic

diatremes from mantle depths (>30
km)and alluvial placer deposits
derived from the Kimberlite rocks.
Kimberlite = olivine, garnet,
pyroxene, and calcite.

Locality: Kimberly, republic of

South Africa. India. Brazil. Ural
Mountains, Russia. Murfreesboro,
Arkansas, USA.
II. Sulfides
Minerals sulfur combines with a metal, but occasionally it unites with a
semimetal.
Millerite
Chemical Formula: NiS

Environment: In limestone and

dolomite cavities.

Locality: St. Louis, Missouri and

Keokuk, Kansas.
II. Sulfosalts
Minerals sulfur is combined with a metal and a semimetal.
Stephanite
Chemical Formula: Ag5SbS4

Environment: A late-stage
mineral in hydrothermal silver
deposits.

Locality: Freiberg, Sachsen

(Saxony), Germany.
III. Halides
Halogen elements
Chlorine
Fluorine
Bromine
Iiodine
Halite
Chemical Formula: NaCl

Environment: Marine or
continental evaporite deposits.

Locality: World wide in

sedimentary basins.
Fluorite
Chemical Formula: CaF2

Environment: Low temperature

vein deposits.

Locality: Common world wide.

IV. Oxides and Hydroxides
Oxides: compounds of one metallic element and an oxygen or multiple
oxides.
Hydroxides: which give up wter when heated.
Cuprite
Chemical Formula: Cu2O

Environment: Oxidized zone of

copper deposits.

Locality: Commonly in the

copper deposits of SW USA and
in Chile.
V. Nitrates
These are not important mineralogically.
Magnesite
Chemical Formula: Mg(CO3)

Environment: Evaporite mineral

in sedimentary rocks.

Locality: Magnisa (Magnesia)

Prefecture, Thessalia (Thessaly)
Department, Greece.
VI. Sulfates, Chromates,
Molybdates and Tungstates
Gypsum(Sulfates)
Chemical Formula:
Ca(SO4)2(H2O)

Environment: Sedimentary
evaporite deposits.

Locality: Numerous localities

worldwide. Naica, Chihuahua,
Mexico.
Scheelite(Tungstate-molybdate)
Chemical Formula: Ca(WO4)

Environment: A primary tunsten

ore mineral commonly found in
contact-metamorphic deposits,
high-temperature hydrothermal
veins, greisens, and granitic
pegmatites.

Locality: Bispberg iron mine, Ster,

Dalarna, Sweden.
VII. Phosphates, Arsenates and
Vanadates
Turquoise(Phosphate)
Chemical Formula:
CuAl6(PO4)4(OH)84(H2O)

Environment: Secondary mineral

found in copper deposits.

Locality: Nishapur Deposit, Iran.

Erythrite(Arsenate)
Chemical Formula:
Co3(AsO4)28(H2O)

Envirnment: Secondary mineral

in cobalt-bearing deposits.

Locality: Grube Daniel,

Schneeberg, Germany.
Vanadinite(Vanadate)
Chemical Formula: Pb5(VO4)3Cl

Environment: Oxidized lead ores.

Locality: Zimapan, Hildalgo,

Mexico.
VIII. Silicates
1) Nesosilicates (Olivine)
2) Sorosilicates (Epidote)
3) Cyclosilicates (Benitoite)
4) Inosilicates (Augite)
5) Phyllosilicates (Muscovite)
6) Tectosilicates (Quartz)

Simon & Schusters Guide to Rocks & Minerals

Igneous Minerals
Igneous Minerals
Feldspar Pyroxene
Feldspathoid Amphibole
Quartz Olivine
Mica Zeolite

Rocks and Minerals, Richard M. Pearl.

Feldspar
Divided in to Potash-Soda feldspar and Plagioclase feldspar
Most abundant
Orthoclase (Potash-Soda Feldspars)
Chemical Formula: KAlSi3O8
(Potassium aluminum silicate)

Environment: Intrusive and

extrusive igneous, and
metamorphic rocks

Locality: Common world wide

occurrences
Labradorite (Plagioclase Feldspar)
Chemical Formula:
(Ca,Na)(Si,Al)4O8 (Sodium
calcium aluminium silicates)

Environment: Magmatic and

metamorphic rocks

Locality: Labrador peninsula,

Canada
Feldspathoid
They substitute for true feldspar when there is a deficiency of silica
in the magma.
Nepheline

Chemical Formula: (Na, K) SiAlO4

(Sodium potassium aluminium
silicate)

Environment: Silica-poor igneous

rocks

Locality: Magnet Cove, Magnet

Cove, Ouachita Mountains, Hot
Spring County, Arkansas, USA
Leucite
Chemical Formula: KAlSi2O6
(Potassium aluminium silicate)

Environment: Acid volcanic

rocks.

Locality: Bearpaw Mountains.,

Montana, USA.
Sodalite
Chemical Formula: Na4Al3(SiO4) 3Cl
(Sodium aluminum silicate
chloride)

Environment: Formed in nepheline

syenites, phonolites, and related
rock types. In metasomatized
calcareous rocks, and in cavities in
ejected volcanic blocks

Locality: Ilmaussaq Massif,

Greenland
Quartz
No mineral is more widespread than quartz
Can be recognized as a glassy colorless or gray mineral.
Quartz
Chemical Formula: (SiO2)

Environment: Sedimentary,
metamorphic, and igneous rocks

Locality: Very common mineral

found world wide.
Mica
Biotite
Chemical Formula:
K(Mg,Fe)3(AlFe)Si3O10(OH,F)2
(Hydrous potassium aluminium
silicate)

Environment: An important and

very common mineral of many
intrusive rocks, pegmatites,
lamprophyres, some lavas and
metamorphic rocks.

Locality: Common world wide.

Muscovite
Chemical Formula:
KAl3(AlSi3)O10(OH)2 (Hydrous
potassium aluminium silicate)

Environment: One of the most

common minerals in rocks,
especially plutonic igneous rocks
(pegmatites and granites).

Locality: Common world wide.

Pyroxene
Next to Feldspars
Highest temperaturas
Generaly dark green or brown
Augite
Chemical Formula: (Ca, Na)(Mg, Fe,
Al, Ti)(Si,Al)2O6 (Calcium magesium
iron aluminum silicate)

Environment: A common mineral in

plutonic rocks (gabbros,
pyroxenites, peridotites), volcanic
rocks (basalts, essexites)

Locality: Common world wide.

Diopside

Chemical Formula: CaMgSi2O6

(Calcium magesium silicate)

Envirnment: Basic and ultrabasic

igneous and metamorphic rocks.

Locality: Common world wide.

Bronzite
Chemical Formula: (Mg, Fe)
2Si2O6 (Magesium iron silicate)

Environment: In mafic an
ultramafic plutonic and volcanic
rocks.

Locality: Transvaal, South Africa.

Amphibole
Paralleling pyroxenes
Lower temperaturas
In presence of fluids
Hornblende
Chemical Formula: (Ca, Na)2-3(Mg,
Fe, Al)5(Al, Si)8O22(OH)2 (Complex
Silicate)

Environment: Found in mafic and

ultramafic igneous rocks, both
plutonic (diorites, gabbros,
hornblendites) and (less often)
volcanic (basalts).

Locality: Probably common

worldwide in "hornblende"
granites and shists.
Olivine
Crystallizes at an early stage (magma is still very hot)
Olive-Green color
Important in meteorites
Peridot (Forsterita)
Chemical Formula: Mg2(SiO4)

Environment: Ultramafic igneous

rocks or dolomitic marbles.

Locality: Mte. Somma, Vesuvius,

Italy.
Zeolite
Extrusive igneous rocks
Tendency to bubble when heated giving off water continuously
Analcime
Chemical Formula:
NaAl(Si2O6)(H2O)

Environment: Occurs frequently

in basalts and other basic
igneous rocks associated with
other zeolites.

Locality: From near Catanes,

Cyclopean Isles, Italy.
Metamorphic Minerals
Metamorphic Minerals
Epidote Andalusite
Idocrase Kyanite
Diopside Sillimanite
Tremolite
Epidote

Chemical Formula: Ca2(Fe, Al)3Si3

O12(OH) (Hydrous calcium
aluminum iron silicate)

Environment: In regional and

metamorphic rocks of mafic
composition.

Locality: Untersulzbachtal,
Austria.
Idocrase (Vesuvianite)
Chemical Formula:
Ca10Mg2Al4(Si2O7)2(SiO4)5(OH)4,
(Hydrous calcium magnesium
aluminum silicate)

Environment: Contact
metamorphic rocks and alpine
veins.

Locality: Mte. Somma, Vesuvius,

Italy.
Diopside

Chemical Formula: CaMgSi2O6

(Calcium magesium silicate)

Environment: In contact
metamorphic rocks, also appears
in metasomatized seams or
lesnses in serpentinized rocks.

Locality: Wide spread

occurrence.
Tremolite
Chemical Formula:
Ca2Mg5(Si8O22)(OH)2, (Hydrous
calcium magnesium silicate)

Environment: Contact
metamorphism of Ca rich rocks.

Locality: Tremola Valley, Alps.

Andalusite
Chemical Formula: Al2SiO5,
(Aluminum silicate)

Environment: Typical of low-

pressure metamorphic rocks rich
in aluminum and poor in
calcium, potassium and sodium.

Locality: Andalucia (Spain), an

early but now unimportant
location.
Kyanite
Chemical Formula: Al2SiO5,
(Aluminum silicate)

Environment: Pelitic rocks rich in

aluminum and metamorphosed
under high pressure (gneiss,
mica schists, amphibolites and
eclogites).

Locality: Common world wide.

Sillimanite
Chemical Formula: (Al2O3)(SiO2)
(Aluminum silicate)

Environment: Widespread in
high-temperature regional
metamorphic rocks, also occurs
in contact metamorphic rocks.

Locality: Wide spread world

wide occurrences.
References
Sorrell, C.A. (ed.), 1973, Rocks and minerals: Golden Press, Western
Publishing Company, Inc., N.Y. U.S.A., 280 p.
Pearl, R.M. (ed.), 1971, Rocks and minerals: Barnes and Noble, Inc.,
N.Y. U.S.A., 275 p.
Prinz, M., Harlow, G., and Peters, J. (eds.), 1978, Guide to rocks and
minerals: Simon and Schuster Building, N.Y. U.S.A., 607 p.
http://webmineral.com/