1. Minerals and Mineral Identification
First Lesson in geology

2. What is a Mineral?
Mineral: A naturally occurring, inorganic solid substance that has a definite chemical composition and crystalline structure.
1. This means that it is NOT manmade, that it DOES NOT come from something living or once living, and what it is made up of is known.

3. What Gives Minerals Their Physical Properties?
2. The internal arrangement of atoms gives minerals their different physical properties
These properties include things like: hardness, breakage pattern and streak
Ex. of minerals with same composition but different physical properties: graphite and diamond
Graphite = pencil lead
Diamond= hardest mineral, valuable!

4. B. Properties Used to Identify Minerals
Color
It is difficult to tell what a mineral is based on color because minerals can be multiple colors and many minerals are the same color.

5. One Mineral,
Many Colors

6. Different Minerals
Same Color

7. more reliable than color the powder form of a mineral
2. Streak
more reliable than color
the powder form of a mineral

8. how light reflects off a mineral a. metallic b. non-metallic
3. Luster
how light reflects off a mineral
a. metallic
b. non-metallic
-looks like a metal
-Leaves a dark (black, grey, green or brown) streak on a white streak plate
-usually looks glassy or dull
-leaves white or no streak on a black streak plate

9. 4. Cleavage -mineral breaks in a predictable pattern
because of its arrangement of atoms
-At least one distinct flat side when broken

10. Examples of Cleavage

11. -the mineral breaks randomly
5. Fracture
-the mineral breaks randomly
-Irregular sides

12. 6. Hardness
1. resistance to being scratched- a softer material cannot scratch a harder material
2. It is NOT the same as breaking!
For example:
You can break glass easily with steel.
However, steel will not scratch glass.

13. Do not write: Hardness TALC GYPSUM QUARTZ CALCITE TOPAZ FLUORITE
MOH’S SCALE OF HARDNESS
Hardness
Mineral
1 (softest) 6 2 7 3 8 4 9 5
10 (hardest)
TALC
ORTHOCLASE
GYPSUM
QUARTZ
CALCITE
TOPAZ
FLUORITE
CORUNDUM
APATITE
DIAMOND

14. Video
Watch the following video and write down 3 notes about it in your notes. If the link does not work, search for “Geology Kitchen What is a Mineral” in YouTube. Watch “What is a Mineral” and “Properties of Minerals”