Earth and Life

Science
Minerals, it’s Characteristics
and Properties
Direction: Identify which Earth’s
subsystem the following parts/pictures
belong to:

Atmosphere
Hydrosphere
Biosphere
JUMBLED LETTERS
DELBMUJ SRETTEL
 ESRAKT
- the color of a mineral in its
powdered form. It is usually
obtained by rubbing the mineral
on a hard, white surface, such
as a tile of unglazed.
 STREAK
- the color of a mineral in its
powdered form. It is usually
obtained by rubbing the mineral
on a hard, white surface, such
as a tile of unglazed.
 E L C AAV G E
- tendency of a crystalline
substance to split into
fragments bounded by plane
surfaces.
 Cleavage
- tendency of a crystalline
substance to split into
fragments bounded by plane
surfaces.
 Utelsr
- a glow of a
reflected light.
 Luster
- a glow of a
reflected light.
 AntetIcy
- refers to a mineral’s
resistance to breaking,
bending, or otherwise being
deformed.
 TenacIty
- refers to a mineral’s
resistance to breaking,
bending, or otherwise being
deformed.
 Drsesnah
- the resistance of a
mineral to scratching.
 HARDNESS
- the resistance of a
mineral to scratching.
 Objectives
• define mineral
• identify the examples of minerals
and;
• explain the different characteristics of
minerals
 Minerals

-Naturally occurring substance with distinctive

chemical and physical properties,
composition and atomic structure.

-Most popular minerals include quartz,

feldspar, bauxite, cobalt, talc and pyrite.
 Types of Minerals
• Silicate Minerals
- consist of silicon and oxygen
- may consist of a metal
Ex. Feldspar, Orthoclase and
Plagioclase
 Types of Minerals
• Non – Silicate Mineral
- does not contain silicon and
oxygen
Ex. Gypsum, Galena and Corundum
 Main Characteristics of Minerals
• Naturally Occurring
- minerals are formed by natural
processes
- cannot be man-made, manufactured,
or created in a laboratory
 Main Characteristics of Minerals
• Inorganic Solid
- minerals are entirely crystalline solid
unlike those that are crystalline liquid.

- minerals display a highly ordered

internal atomic structure that has a regular
geometric form.
 Main Characteristics of Minerals
• Crystalline Structure
- minerals consist of primarily organized
crystal structure.

- these minerals tend to have sharp

melting point. Common example is a diamond.
 Main Characteristics of Minerals
•Definite Chemical Composition
- minerals have a chemical
composition that varies within a specific
limited range and the atoms that make up
the mineral must occur in specific ratios.
 Properties of Minerals
1.Color 5. Luster
2. Streak 6.
Fluorescence
3. Cleavage and Fracture 7. Tenacity
4. Hardness
• Color
- the result of the reflection of
visible light.
- mineral’s color may change
depending on the surface.
Sapphire Ruby
 • Streak
- the color of
mineral in
powdered form.

Ex. Hematite – mineral that leaves powder

 • Cleavage
-the ability of mineral
to split along a weak
plane forming flat
surface.

Ex. Mica (crystal can be

peel like layers of onion)
 • Fracture
– the capacity of a
certain mineral to
break along curved
surfaces.

Ex. Quartz ( creates

smooth, curved surfaces)
 • Hardness
- the tendency of
a mineral to resist
abrasion(scratching).

Ex. Diamond
(has a scale of 10)
 • Luster
- the ability of a
mineral to reflect
light from its surface

Ex. Pyrite a.k.a. fool’s

gold
• Fluorescence
- the ability of
minerals to glow
when bombarded
with ultraviolet light.

Ex. Calcite
• Tenacity
- describes the mineral’s reaction
to stress.
 Brittleness – a mineral turns into
powder
 Malleability – a mineral can be
flattened by pounding with a hammer.
 Ductility – a mineral can be
stretched into wire.
 Flexible but not elastic – minerals
are bent, and they return to their
original position.
 Sectility – ability of minerals to be
sliced by a knife.