Lesson 3 Properties of Minerals

Week 1: Lesson 3
Learning Competency:
Identify common rock-

forming minerals using
their physical and
chemical properties.
What is a Mineral?
 A mineral is a naturally occurring, inorganic solid
that has a crystal structure and a definite chemical
composition.
Pyromorphite
What do all minerals have in common?
 For a substance to be a mineral it must have

these 5 characteristics:
1. Formed by natural processes on or inside
2. Is inorganic- was never alive.
3. Is a solid, with definite volume and shape
4. Minerals always contains certain elements that
give it a unique chemical composition
(makeup). Some minerals are compounds which
are made up of more than one element.
The Structure of Minerals
 5. Have a crystalline shape- the particles of a mineral
line up in a pattern that repeats forming a crystal.
 Crystal- solid with atoms arranged in an orderly,
repeating pattern
How do minerals form?
There are 2 ways that crystals
form:
 The cooling of hot, liquid rock
called magma causes
compounds to combine
 The evaporation of water that
has minerals dissolved in it
How do we identify Minerals?
 We look at Physical Properties
 These include:
 Color/Appearance
 Luster
 Streak
 Hardness
 Cleavage/Fracture
Physical Properties of Minerals
(can be used to identify the mineral)
Color
 Can be misleading
 Many minerals will have a
similar appearance, but will
have different impurities
 Color and appearance are not
enough to distinguish minerals
Luster
 Luster refers to the way a mineral reflects light from its
surface
 Metallic = shiny like metal
 Non-metallic = dull, non-shiny surface, can include
pearly, silky, and glassy
Calcite has a non-

metallic luster
Pyrite has a
metallic luster
Streak
 The color of the powdered form of
the mineral
 We find a minerals streak by
rubbing it on a white ceramic plate

 The color of the streak can be
different than the mineral

 Minerals must be softer than the
streak plate
Streak…can help identify quartz
http://www.childrensmuseum.org/geomysteries/cube/b3.html
Hardness
 How easily a mineral scratches materials
 Mohs Hardness Scale

 Scale from 1 (softest) to 10 (hardest)
 Test by seeing if the mineral can scratch different
objects (like human fingernail, copper, penny,

glass, steel file)
Hardness
Hardness
Cleavage
 Cleavage—
minerals break
along smooth,
flat surfaces and
every fragment
has the same
general shape
Fracture
 Fracture—
minerals that
break at
random with
rough or
jagged edges
Cleavage or Fracture?
1. 2.
3. 4.
(Other Special Properties)
a. Taste – a few
minerals have a
characteristic
taste
b. Odor – a few
minerals have a
characteristic
odor
c. Striations –
straight parallel
lines on the flat
surface of the
cleavage
directions
d. Magnetism – some minerals with large

amounts of iron oxide are attracted to
magnets
e. Double
Refraction – a clear
mineral placed over
an image will show 2
images by the light
being split as it
enters some
crystalline minerals
f. X-ray fingerprints –
when x-rays are directed
through minerals, the x-
rays are deflected out at
specific angles
g. Chemical tests – how
do minerals react to
specific chemicals
Chemical Properties of Minerals
 Silicate - Based on the polyatomic
anion, (SiO4)4-, which has a tetrahedral
shape. Most minerals in the earth‘s crust
and mantle are silicate minerals. All
silicate minerals are built of silicon-
oxygen tetrahedra (SiO4)4- in different
bonding arrangements which create
different crystal lattices.
 Silicate minerals are rock-forming minerals
made up of silicate groups. They are the
largest and most important class of minerals
and make up approximately 90 percent of
Earth's crust.
 Isolated Tetrahedra - simplest
 Chain Silicates
https://openpress.usask.ca/physicalgeology/chapter/5-4-silicate-minerals-2/
 Sheet Silicates
 Feldspar
 Quartz
 Carbonate - These are

based on the carbonate
ion, (CO3)2–.
 CaCO3 (calcite), and
CaMg (CO3)2. (dolomite)
are carbonate minerals.
 Carbonate minerals tend
to dissolve relatively
easily in water, especially
acid water, and natural
rainwater is slightly acid. https://openpress.usask.ca/physicalgeology/chapter/5-3-mineral-groups-2/
 Sulfide - These are

based on the sulfide ion,
S2–. Examples include
FeS2 (pyrite), PbS
(galena), and sphalerite,
which is ZnS in its pure
zinc form.
 Some sulfides are mined
as sources of such metals
as zinc, lead, copper, and
tin. https://openpress.usask.ca/physicalgeology/chapter/5-3-mineral-groups-2/
 Oxides - These
are based on the
oxygen anion,
O2–.
 Examples include
iron oxides such as
Fe2O3 (hematite)
Fe3O4, (magnetite)
and MgO
(pyrolusite).
https://openpress.usask.ca/physicalgeology/chapter/5-3-mineral-groups-2/
 Halides - These have a halogen element as the anion,
whether it be F– (fluoride), Cl- (chloride), Br–(bromide), I–
(iodide) or At–(astatine). NaCl (halite), is a halide mineral.
 Sulfates – These have the polyatomic sulfate
ion, (SO4)2–, as the anion.
 CaSO4 (anhydrite) is a sulfate.
 Phosphates - These have the polyatomic
phosphate ion, (PO4)3–, as the anion.
 Ca5(PO4)3F (fluorapatite), which makes your teeth
hard, is a phosphate mineral.
 Native Element - These are minerals made of
a single element, such as gold, copper, silver,
or sulphur.
ASSIGNMENT:
BRING THE FOLLOWING MATERIALS

NEXT MEETING BY GROUP
- Hammer,
- 5 different rock samples,
- 5 pcs of kalamansi fruit,
- goggles,
- 2 pcs medicine dropper
- vinegar.
Review
1. What is a Mineral?
2. Name 2 things that all minerals have in
common?
3. What are the special properties that some

minerals may have?
4. How are minerals identified?
Group Activity
1. Using a Manila paper and marker, create
a slogan about the importance of minerals
on our planet.
 Relevance to the topic = 10 points
 Originality = 10 points
 Impact and Presentation = 10 points
2. Explain the importance of understanding
the physical and chemical properties of
rock-forming minerals.
3. Present your output in class afterwards.

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Week 1: Lesson 3

Identify common rock-

 For a substance to be a mineral it must have

 Non-metallic = dull, non-shiny surface, can include

pearly, silky, and glassy

Calcite has a non-

rubbing it on a white ceramic plate

different than the mineral

 Mohs Hardness Scale

objects (like human fingernail, copper, penny,

d. Magnetism – some minerals with large

 Carbonate - These are

 Sulfide - These are

BRING THE FOLLOWING MATERIALS

3. What are the special properties that some

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