Bellringer: Make a list of everyday items you think are made from minerals.

16.1 Minerals and Mineral Resources

I. What is a Mineral? Made up of either:A.Mineral – 1.Atoms – 2. Compounds – Smallest unit of matter that retains the elements physical properties A group of two or more types of atoms bonded together 3. The way the atoms are bonded determine the physical properties of the mineral

4.Some elements, called native elements, are considered minerals. These include the elements gold, silver, and copper 5.Most minerals, however, are compounds 6.The mineral quartz is made up of silica, which consists of one silicon atom and two oxygen atoms.

Economically valuable mineralsB. Ore Minerals – 1.Ore minerals are extracted from gangue minerals a. Gangue Minerals –Waste rock/minerals that are mixed with ore minerals Example: cassiterite typically contains quartz (GANG)

2.Ore minerals are either metallic or nonmetallic. 3.Metals have the following characteristics: a.can conduct electricity b.have shiny surfaces c.are opaque 4.Many valuable metallic minerals are native elements, such as gold, silver, and copper. 5.Nonmetals have the following characteristics: a.tend to be good insulators b.may have shiny or dull surfaces c.may allow light to pass through

II. How Do Ore Minerals Form? A. Hydrothermal Solutions – Subsurface waters which contain dissolved minerals 1.These waters dissolve minerals which then crystallize and form deposits called veins

B. Evaporates – Water that washes over land, leaving deposits of minerals 1.Form in land areas where evaporation is high

C.Certain metals are of major economic and industrial importance. 1.Some metals can be pounded or pressed into various shapes or stretched very thinly without breaking. Others conduct electricity well. 2.Often two or more metals are used to form alloys, which combine the most desirous properties of the metals used to make them Aluminum with magnesium is the alloy used to make auto wheels Brass is an alloy of silver and copper Lead is an alloy of brass and tin Steel Carbon is the most common alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used, such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten

D.Nonmetals are among the most widely used minerals in the world. 1.Gypsum, for example, is used to make building materials such as wallboard and concrete. 2.Some nonmetallic minerals include gemstones, prized for their beauty, rarity, or durability. a.Important gemstones include diamond, ruby, sapphire, emerald, aquamarine, topaz, and tourmaline. tourmaline aquamarine