WHAT IS A MINERAL? WHERE DOES A MINERAL COME FROM? Bellwork

CH MINERALS AND ROCKS

WHAT ARE MINERALS?  A mineral is a naturally occurring, inorganic solid that has an orderly crystalline structure and a definite chemical composition  Occur in Nature  Must be formed within Earth, on the surface, or within organisms  Be Chemically Inorganic  Can not have any carbon-carbon or carbon-hydrogen bonding

 Solid w/ an orderly Crystalline structure  Atoms and ions are arranged in an orderly and repetitive manner  Each mineral has a unique crystal structure  Definite Chemical Composition

MINERAL FORMATION  Minerals can form by crystallization from magma or lava, from precipitation related to evaporation or hydrothermal solutions, or from exposure to high pressure and temperature, or they can be produced by organisms

 Crystallization from magma or lava  Magma cools inside the crust, or lava hardens on the surface  Crystallization occurs  Size of the crystals depends on several factors  Rate at which it cools  Ex: slow cooling = large crystals  Location in/on Earth  Lava cools much faster

 Precipitation  Occurs when the liquid in a solution evaporates and the remaining solids crystallize  Ex: when water from the ocean evaporates, salt crystals can form

 Pressure and Temperature  when a mineral is subjected to great changes in temperature or pressure, it’s atoms may rearrange  Causes it to become a different type of mineral known as a polymorph  Example  When carbon crystallizes, it forms graphite (in your pencil)  When carbon crystallizes under high pressure and temperature, it forms a diamond

 Produced by Organisms  Organisms like mollusk shells and coral produce calcium bicarbonate, which helps to make the hard structures on their bodies

MINERALS ARE CATEGORIZED INTO GROUPS BASED ON THE ELEMENTS OR COMPOUNDS THEY CONTAIN