MINERALS AND

ROCKS 1
 MINERALS
• A NATURALLY OCCURRING (NOT MAN-MADE OR
MACHINE GENERATED), INORGANIC (NOT A
BYPRODUCT OF LIVING THINGS) SOLID WITH AN
ORDERLY CRYSTALLINE STRUCTURE AND A DEFINITE
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
• MINERALS ARE THE BASIC BUILDING BLOCKS OF
ROCKS.
MINERAL PROPERTIES

•USED TO IDENTIFY
MINERALS
 LUSTER
• IT IS THE QUALITY AND INTENSITY OF REFLECTED LIGHT
EXHIBITED BY THE MINERAL
NON-METALLIC
- vitreous (glassy),
METALLIC
adamantine
- generally opaque and
(brilliant/diamond-like),
exhibit a resplendent shine
resinous, silky, pearly, dull
similar to a polished metal
(earthy), greasy, among
others.
 HARDNESS
• IT IS A MEASURE OF THE RESISTANCE OF A MINERAL
(NOT SPECIFICALLY SURFACE) TO ABRASION.
• THE MOHS SCALE OF HARDNESS MEASURES THE
SCRATCH RESISTANCE OF VARIOUS MINERALS FROM A
SCALE OF 1 TO 10, BASED ON THE ABILITY OF A
HARDER MATERIAL/MINERAL TO SCRATCH A SOFTER
ONE.
 CRYSTAL FORM/HABIT

• IT IS THE NATURAL SHAPE OF THE MINERAL

BEFORE THE DEVELOPMENT OF ANY CLEAVAGE
OR FRACTURE.
• A MINERAL THAT DO NOT HAVE A CRYSTAL
STRUCTURE IS DESCRIBED AS AMORPHOUS.
BLADED RENIFORM PLATY

TABULAR EQUANT
 COLOR AND STREAK

• A LOT OF MINERALS CAN EXHIBIT SAME OR

SIMILAR COLORS. INDIVIDUAL MINERALS CAN
ALSO DISPLAY A VARIETY OF COLORS
RESULTING FROM IMPURITIES AND ALSO FROM
SOME GEOLOGIC PROCESSES LIKE WEATHERING.
 COLOR AND STREAK

• STREAK, ON THE OTHER HAND, IS THE

MINERAL’S COLOR IN POWDERED FORM
• IT IS INHERENT IN ALMOST EVERY MINERAL,
AND IS A MORE DIAGNOSTIC PROPERTY
COMPARED TO COLOR.
 CLEAVAGE

•THE PROPERTY OF SOME MINERALS TO

BREAK ALONG SPECIFIC PLANES OF
WEAKNESS TO FORM SMOOTH, FLAT
SURFACES
CLEAVAGE VS. FRACTURE
 SPECIFIC GRAVITY

• THE RATIO OF THE DENSITY OF THE MINERAL

AND THE DENSITY OF WATER
 OTHERS

• ACID TEST – CALCITE

• MAGNETIC – MAGNETITE
• TASTE – HALITE
• SMELL- SULFUR
 MINERAL GROUPS

• MINERALS, LIKE MANY OTHER THINGS, CAN ALSO BE

CATEGORIZED.
• THE MOST STABLE AND LEAST AMBIGUOUS BASIS
FOR CLASSIFICATION OF MINERALS IS BASED ON
THEIR CHEMICAL COMPOSITIONS.
1. SILICATES
- MINERALS CONTAINING THE TWO MOST ABUNDANT
ELEMENTS IN THE EARTH’S CRUST, NAMELY, SILICON
AND OXYGEN.
SILICON-OXYGEN TETRAHEDRON
-THE BASIC STRUCTURAL UNIT OF SILICATE MINERALS
2. OXIDES
– MINERALS COMPOSED OF OXYGEN ANION (O2-) COMBINED WITH ONE
OR MORE METAL IONS

3. SULFATES
– MINERALS CONTAINING SULFUR AND OXYGEN IN THE FORM OF THE
(SO4)- ANION

4. SULfiDES
– MINERALS CONTAINING SULFUR AND A METAL; SOME SULFIDES ARE
SOURCES OF ECONOMICALLY IMPORTANT METALS SUCH AS COPPER,
LEAD, AND ZINC.
5. CARBONATES
– MINERALS CONTAINING THE CARBONATE (CO3)2- ANION
COMBINED WITH OTHER ELEMENTS
6. NATIVE ELEMENTS
– MINERALS THAT FORM AS INDIVIDUAL ELEMENTS
a. METALS AND INTERMETALS – MINERALS WITH HIGH THERMAL AND
ELECTRICAL CONDUCTIVITY, TYPICALLY WITH METALLIC LUSTER, LOW
HARDNESS (GOLD, LEAD)
b. SEMI-METALS – MINERALS THAT ARE MORE FRAGILE THAN METALS
AND HAVE LOWER CONDUCTIVITY (ARSENIC, BISMUTH)
c. C. NONMETALS – NONCONDUCTIVE (SULFUR, DIAMOND)
7. HALIDES