What are Minerals?

MRS Roferos
 What is a mineral?
• Naturally occurring
• Solid
• Defined chemical composition
• Ordered atomic arrangement
• Mostly inorganic

Minerals are the basic

building blocks of
earth materials
Mineraloid

They are also known as GEL
MINERAL
 Examples of
Mineraloid

Color is the response of the eye to the
visible light spectrum

It is the interaction of visible light with specific atoms in a

crystal structure.
When light strikes a mineral, it may be scattered, or
reflected, or transmitted or absorbed. If almost all of the
light is reflected/ scattered, the mineral exhibits metallic
luster characterising sulphides and oxides.
 Diaphaneity

Also known as transparency, is a function of the way

light interacts with the surface of a substance. There
are only three possible interactions.
transparent - if the light enters and exits the surface
of the substance in relatively undisturbed fashion
translucent - if the light can enter and exit the surface
of the substance, but in a disturbed and distorted
fashion
opaque - if the light can not even penetrate the
surface of the substance
Pyroelectricity

Pyroelectricity is a property of certain crystals which are naturally electrically

polarized and as a result contain large electric fields. It can be described as the
ability of certain materials to generate a temporary when they are heated or
voltage

cooled. The change in temperature modifies the positions of the atoms slightly
within the , such that the
crystal structure of the material changes.
polarization
Piezoelectricity

Piezoelectricity is the ability of some mineral crystals and certain ceramic

materials to generate a voltage in response to applied mechanical stress.
How are we going to imagine Piezoelectricity vs Pyroelectricity?

Pyroelectricity and piezoelectricity can be visualized sides of a triangle, where

each corner represents energy states in the crystal: , and
kinetic energies.
electrical thermal

The side between electrical and thermal corners represents the pyroelectric
effect and produces no .
kinetic energy

The side between kinetic and electrical corners represents the piezoelectric effect and
produces no .heat

Pyroelectric charge in minerals develops on the opposite faces of asymmetric

Crystal Habit vs Crystal Form

Crystal habit is the tendency for specimens of a mineral to repeatedly grow into
characteristic shapes. These shapes are influenced by the atomic structure of the
mineral, but they can also be influenced by the environment of crystal growth.
Regardless of influence, crystal habit shapes are characteristic of the mineral and
displayed by many specimens of that mineral.
Crystal form, on the other hand, is a concept similar to “crystal habit”, however, a
crystal form is expressed as a solid crystalline object that is bounded by a set of flat
faces that are related to one another by symmetry. Euhedral crystals are the best
Crystal Habits
Crystal Habits

Platy is flat, tablet-shaped, prominent pinnacoid

Reticulated crystals forming net-like intergrowths

Crystal Habits Wheatsheaf refers to crystals that appear to be wheat sheaves. This habit is
seen in some truly spectacular minerals, like wheatsheaf Rhodochrosite.

Capillary or filiform, when the mineral has distinctive threadlike or hairlike

crystals. Millerite can form following a filiform habit.
 Crystal Habits

Foliated minerals can be separated fairly easily into

plates - Thicker than those of the micas.  Also note that
foliated crystals will overlap to a certain extent. Talc is
a good example of a foliated mineral.

Globular minerals are similar to Botryoidal minerals (See

below) with one important difference - They aren't grouped
together to the extent that botryoidal minerals are.

Reticulated mineral specimens are easily recognizable, and

often stunning to behold. Characterized by intergrown, usually
slender crystals, these specimens are prized if in pristine
condition. One of the finest examples of this specific habit is
Cerussite from Tsumeb in Namibia - Large, reticulated
specimens in wonderful condition were recovered from the
mine.
State of Aggregation

State of aggregation is the tendency of mass of fine

grained minerals that do not form crystal faces to
aggregate with each other.

Reniform or colloform is similar to botryoidal/mamillary:

intersecting kidney-shaped masses
State of Aggregation Stalactitic is forming as
stalactites or stalagmites;
cylindrical or cone-shaped
Crystal Cleavage

Cleavage is a property that is a

manifestation of breaking of mineral
along crystallographic planes.
Planar

Prismatic

Cubic

Rhombohedral
Fracturing

Conchoidal

Splintery
Fracturing


Hackly
Earthy

Uneven
Hardness

Moh’s Scale of Hardness

Specific Gravity
Specific Gravity of Common Minerals

Rutile TiO2
Pyrolusite MnO2
Cassiterite SnO2
Calcite CaCO3


 What is the difference between
density and specific gravity?

• Density is defined as mass per unit volume. It has the SI unit kg m-3 or
Kg/m-3 and is an absolute quantity.
• Specific gravity is the ratio of a material's density with that of water at
4 °C (where it is most dense and is taken to have the value 999.974
kg·m-3).  It is therefore a relative quantity with no units.
 Methods
Useful in
Determining
Minerals
References

mindat.org
• https://www.autodesk.com/products/eagle/blog/piezoelectricity/
• https://geology.com/minerals/crystal-habit/
• https://www.capeminerals.co.za/crystal-habits