1. With a partner near you… On a sheet of paper in your notes, come up with what you think defines a mineral. Make a list of properties. What makes a mineral different from a rock?

2. What is a Mineral? Based on observations, what is your definition of what a mineral is?

3. What is a mineral? Solid Not liquid, gas, or plasma

4. What is a mineral? Naturally-occurring Not man-made

5. What is a mineral? Inorganic Never alive

6. What is a mineral? Fixed chemical composition: an element or a compound

7. What is a mineral? Crystal structure: atoms or molecules in an orderly pattern

9. Examples of minerals Quartz Halite (rock salt) Mica

10. Not minerals

11. 2 Major Groups of Minerals Silicates- contains atoms of Silicon and Oxygen. Quartz contains only Silicon and Oxygen Most silicates contain other elements Non Silicates- do not contain silicon. Makes up 4% of the Earth’s crust.

12. Most minerals are compounds Quartz: silicon and oxygen –SiO 2 – Most abundant in earth’s crust Halite: sodium and chloride –NaCl

13. Native Minerals Made up of single elements Copper Gold Sulfur Silver

14. Important Mineral Facts… There are more than 2,000 kinds of minerals, Fewer than 20 are common minerals that form rock 10 minerals make up 90% of the earth’s crust –Ex. Quartz, feldspar, mica, calcite

15. Gypsum Caves Largest Crystals in the World are found in Northern Mexico in the Cave of Crystals Cave of Crystals Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HeiMfL mJtzk

16. Properties of Minerals: How We Identify Minerals

17. How could you… Classify minerals from each other Come up with 6 “tests” or ways to differentiate minerals from each other…

18. Luster = ability to reflect light Metallic: Shines like polished metal Non-metallic: Does not shine like metal

19. Non-metallic types Transparent Translucent Opaque

20. Color Light Dark

21. Color is NOT a good way to identify a mineral Quartz Feldspar

22. Streak Color when rubbed on a tile May be different than the color of the mineral

23. Hardness Ability to scratch other minerals

24. Diamonds How Diamonds are Cut Video

25. How a Mineral Breaks 2 types: –Cleavage: splits along flat planes –Fracture: breaks unevenly

26. Cleavage

27. Fracture Breaks along uneven lines