What is a Mineral? A mineral is a naturally-occurring, solid substance with a specific chemical makeup. Minerals are the natural, nonliving solid crystals that make up rocks.

5 Characteristics of All Minerals: Nonliving Solid Naturally-Occurring (found in nature) Specific Chemical Makeup Crystalline Structure

Discovery Education Video: What are Minerals? Minerals are found in the crust of the Earth. Each mineral has its own individual structure of atoms called crystals. Minerals can be identified by physical properties such as color.

Geologists use several different physical properties to identify and classify minerals.

Properties used to identify minerals include: Color Luster Hardness Density Crystal Structure Streak

Measuring Mineral Hardness: The hardness of a mineral is determined by comparing it to other minerals. Moh’s Hardness Scale rates the hardness of minerals from 1 (softest) to 10 (hardest)

Testing Mineral Hardness

Discovery Education Video: How to Identify Minerals This video discusses the six physical properties and seven major categories of minerals.

Discovery Education Video: Geologist’s Notebook: What Exactly are Minerals? Minerals are everywhere in our lives - underfoot, in our home, in our jewelry, and even in our bones. This program explains the chemical structure of minerals and looks at properties geologists use to identify them such as hardness, luster, cleavage, and crystal form. It also explains the relationship between minerals and rocks, how we obtain minerals of value to us, and how minerals grow into crystals.

Lesson 3: Minerals Key Questions: 1) What is a mineral? What characteristics do minerals have? 2) What properties can we use to identify minerals? How can we use these properties?