DEFINITION'S OF MINERALS

DEFINITIONS OF MINERALS
What is a Mineral?
The following definitions on what constitutes a mineral were taken from several different
sources and are arranged by year:
• "A mineral is an element or chemical compound that is normally crystalline and that has
been formed as a result of geological processes" (Nickel, E. H., 1995).

• "Minerals are naturally-occurring inorganic substances with a definite and predictable

chemical composition and physical properties." (O' Donoghue,1990).

• "A mineral is a naturally occurring homogeneous solid, inorganically formed, with a

definite chemical composition and an ordered atomic arrangement" (Mason, et
al, 1968).
DEFINITION OF MINERALS
• "These... minerals ...can be distinguished from one another by individual
characteristics that arise directly from the kinds of atoms they contain and the
arrangements these atoms make inside them" (Sinkankas, 1966).

• "A mineral is a body produced by the processes of inorganic nature, having

usually a definite chemical composition and, if formed under favorable
conditions, a certain characteristic atomic structure which is expressed in its
crystalline form and other physical properties" (Dana & Ford, 1932).

• "Every distinct chemical compound occurring in inorganic nature, having a

definite molecular structure or system of crystallization and well-defined physical
properties, constitutes a mineral species" (Brush & Penfield, 1898).
WHAT IS MINERAL?
• A mineral is a crystalline solid formed through natural processes. A mineral can
be an element or a compound, but it has a specific chemical composition and
physical properties that are different from those of other minerals. Silver, tungsten,
halite, and quartz are all examples of minerals. Each one has a different
chemical composition, as well as different physical properties such as crystalline
structure, hardness, density, flammability, and color. For example, silver is shiny
and salt is white.
WHAT IS MINERAL?
• You use objects that are made from minerals every day, even if you do not
realize it. You are actually eating a mineral when you eat food that contains salt.
You are drinking from a container made from a mineral when you drink from a
glass. You might even wear silver jewelry. The shiny metal silver, the white grains of
salt, and clear glass may not seem to have much in common, but they are all
made from minerals Silver is a mineral. Table salt is the mineral halite. Glass is
produced from the mineral quartz. Scientists have identified more than 4,000
minerals in Earth's crust. Some minerals are found in very large amounts, but most
minerals are found in small amounts. If minerals can be so different from each
other, what makes a mineral a mineral?
PROPERTIES OF MINERALS
PROPERTIES OF MINERALS
Properties of Minerals
• The Physical properties of minerals are used by Mineralogists to help
determine the identity of a specimen. Some of the tests can be performed
easily in the field, while others require laboratory equipment. For the
beginning student of geology, there are a number of simple tests that can
be used with a good degree of accuracy. The list of tests is in a suggested
order, progressing from simple experimentation and observation to more
complicated either in procedure or concept.
 PROPERTIES OF MINERALS
• Color • Tenacity
• Streak • Magnetism
• Hardness • Luster
• Cleavage or Fracture • Odor
• Crystalline Structure • Taste
• Diaphaneity or Amount of • Specific Gravity
Transparency
PROPERTIES OF MINERALS
Color
• Most minerals have a distinctive color that can be used for identification. In opaque
minerals, the color tends to be more consistent, so learning the colors associated with
these minerals can be very helpful in identification. Translucent to transparent minerals
have a much more varied degree of color due to the presence of trace minerals.
Therefore, color alone is not reliable as a single identifying characteristic.
Streak
• Streak is the color of the mineral in powdered form. Streak shows the true color of the
mineral. In large solid form, trace minerals can change the color appearance of a
mineral by reflecting the light in a certain way. Trace minerals have little influence on
the reflection of the small powdery particles of the streak.
PROPERTIES OF MINERALS
Streak
• The streak of metallic minerals tends to appear dark because the small particles
of the streak absorb the light hitting them. Non-metallic particles tend to reflect
most of the light so they appear lighter in color or almost white.
• Because streak is a more accurate illustration of the mineral’s color, streak is a
more reliable property of minerals than color for identification.
Hardness
• Hardness is one of the better properties of minerals to use for identifying a
mineral. Hardness is a measure of the mineral’s resistance to scratching. The
Mohs scale is a set of 10 minerals whose hardness is known. The softest mineral,
talc, has a Mohs scale rating of one. Diamond is the hardest mineral and has a
rating of ten. Softer minerals can be scratched by harder minerals because the
forces that hold the crystals together are weaker and can be broken by the
harder mineral.
PROPERTIES OF MINERALS
Cleavage & Fracture
• Minerals tend to break along lines or smooth surfaces when hit sharply. Different minerals
break in different ways showing different types of cleavage.
• Cleavage is defined using two sets of criteria. The first set of criteria describes how easily
the cleavage is obtained. Cleavage is considered perfect if it is easily obtained and the
cleavage planes are easily distinguished. It is considered good if the cleavage is
produced with some difficulty but has obvious cleavage planes. Finally it is considered
imperfect if cleavage is obtained with difficulty and some of the planes are difficult to
distinguish.
• The second set of criteria is the direction of the cleavage surfaces. The names
correspond to the shape formed by the cleavage surfaces: Cubic, rhombohedral,
octahedral, dodecahedral, basal or prismatic.
PROPERTIES OF MINERALS
These criteria are defined specifically by the angles of the cleavage lines as
indicated in the chart below:
Cleavage Type Angles
• Cubic Cleaves in three directions @ 90o to one another Rhombohedral Cleaves
in three directions but not @ 90o to one another Octahedral Cleaves in four
directions Dodecahedral Cleaves in six directions Basal Cleaves in one direction
Prismatic Cleaves in two directions
• Fracture describes the quality of the cleavage surface. Most minerals display
either uneven or grainy fracture, conchoidal (curved, shell-like lines) fracture, or
hackly (rough, jagged) fracture.
PROPERTIES OF MINERALS
Crystalline Structure
• Mineral crystals occur in various shapes and sizes. The particular shape is determined by
the arrangement of the atoms, molecules or ions that make up the crystal and how they
are joined. This is called the crystal lattice. There are degrees of crystalline structure, in
which the fibers of the crystal become increasingly difficult or impossible to see with the
naked eye or the use of a hand lens. Microcrystalline and cryptocrystalline structures can
only be viewed using high magnification. If there is no crystalline structure, it is called
amorphous. However, there are very few amorphous crystals and these are only observed
under extremely high magnification.
Transparency or Diaphaneity
• Diaphaneity is a mineral’s degree of transparency or ability to allow light to pass through
it. The degree of transparency may also depend on the thickness of the mineral.
PROPERTIES OF MINERALS
Tenacity
• Tenacity is the characteristic that describes how the particles of a mineral hold together
or resist separation. The chart below gives the list of terms used to describe tenacity and
a description of each term.
Magnetism
• Magnetism is the characteristic that allows a mineral to attract or repel other magnetic
materials. It can be difficult to determine the differences between the various types of
magnetism, but it is worth knowing that there are distinctions made.
Odor
• Most minerals have no odor unless they are acted upon in one of the following
ways: moistened, heated, breathed upon, or rubbed.
Taste
• Only soluble minerals have a taste, but it is very important that minerals not be
placed in the mouth or on the tongue. You should not test for this property in the
classroom.
PROPERTIES OF MINERALS
Luster
• Luster is the property of minerals that indicates how much the surface of a mineral
reflects light. The luster of a mineral is affected by the brilliance of the light used to
observe the mineral surface. Luster of a mineral is described in the following terms:
• Metallic The mineral is opaque and reflects light as a metal would. Submetallic The
mineral is opaque and dull. The mineral is dark colored. Non-metallic The mineral does
not reflect light like a metal.
• Nonmetallic minerals are described using modifiers that refer to commonly known
qualities.
• Waxy The mineral looks like paraffin or wax. Vitreous The mineral looks like broken glass.
Pearly The mineral appears iridescent, like a pearl. Silky The mineral looks fibrous, like silk.
Greasy The mineral looks like oil on water. Resinous The mineral looks like hardened tree
sap (resin).Adamantine The mineral looks brilliant, like a diamond.
PROPERTIES OF MINERALS
Specific Gravity
• Specific Gravity of a mineral is a comparison or ratio of the weight of the
mineral to the weight of an equal amount of water. The weight of the equal
amount of water is found by finding the difference between the weight of the
mineral in air and the weight of the mineral in water.
DIFFERENT TYPES OF MINERALS
TYPES OF MINERALS
Natives Elements
• This is the category of the pure. Most minerals are made up of combinations of
chemical elements. In this group a single element like the copper shown here are
found in a naturally pure form.
TYPES OF MINERALS
Silicates
• This is the largest group of minerals. Silicates are made from metals combined
with silicon and oxygen. There are more silicates than all other minerals put
together. The mica on the left is a member of this group.
TYPES OF MINERALS
Oxides
• Oxides form from the combination of a metal with oxygen. This group ranges
from dull ores like bauxite to gems like rubies and sapphires. The magnetite
pictured to the left is a member of this group.
TYPES OF MINERALS
Sulfides
• Sulfides are made of compounds of sulfur usually with a metal. They tend to be
heavy and brittle. Several important metal ores come from this group like the
pyrite pictured here that is an iron ore.
TYPES OF MINERAL
Sulfates
• Sulfates are made of compounds of sulfur combined with metals and oxygen. It
is a large group of minerals that tend to be soft, and translucent like this barite.
TYPES OF MINERAL
Halides
• Halides form from halogen elements like chlorine, bromine, fluorine, and iodine
combined with metallic elements. They are very soft and easily dissolved in
water. Halite is a well known example of this group. Its chemical formula is NaCl
or sodium chloride commonly known as table salt.
TYPES OF MINERAL
Carbonates
• Carbonates are a group of minerals made of carbon, oxygen, and a metallic
element. This calcite known as calcium carbonate is the most common of the
carbonate group.
TYPES OF MINERAL
Phosphates
• Phosphates are not as common in occurrence as the other families of minerals.
They are often formed when other minerals are broken down by weathering.
They are often brightly colored.
TYPES OF MINERALS
Mineraloid
• Mineraloid is the term used for those substances that do not fit neatly into one of
these eight classes. Opal, jet, amber, and mother of pearl all belong to the
mineraloids