1. Minerals
What are they?

2. Remember this thing called “The Periodic Table of the Elements”
Remember this thing called “The Periodic Table of the Elements”? Well, everything, including minerals, are made up of combinations of these elements.

3. Example: Here is a mineral called feldspar
Feldspar is made up of four
different materials called:
Potassium (K)
Aluminum (Al)
Silicon (Si)
Oxygen (O)
Put them all together and you get this:KAlSi3O

4. potassium
aluminum
silicon
oxygen gas inside the cannister

5. KAlSi3O Let’s take that material called potassium -
Potassium (K) is made up of:
19 protons
19 electrons
20 neutrons
This atom of potassium is properly called an element

6. Here’s a very simplified picture of what all these elements together would look like to form the pink mineral feldspar:

7. aluminum
potassium
silicon
silicon
oxygen
KAlSi3O
silicon
(Feldspar)

8. Feldspar

9. SiO2
oxygen
oxygen
(Quartz)
silicon

10. Here is another mineral called mica
Here is another mineral called mica. Mica can be very thin and is very breakable.
And here is its formula: KMg3AlSi3O10(OH)2

11. All minerals share these four characteristics:
Occurs naturally – not man-made
Made of things never alive
All are solids
Either an element or a compound

12. How do minerals form?
By the cooling of magma
Fast cooling – small crystals
Slow cooling – large crystals
Cooling of hot water and gases
When water containing dissolved minerals evaporates

13. Uses of minerals
Some of the most valuable minerals are found in ores. An ore is a mineral mined for profit. Metals can be taken from ores.

14. Bauxite – this is an ore of aluminum

15. Hematite– this is an ore of iron

16. Regardless of the mineral color hematite always streaks reddish.

17. Shiny, reflective minerals are called metals
Shiny, reflective minerals are called metals. Metals have two useful properties:
Malleable – can be hammered without breaking.
Ductile – can be stretched without breaking.

18. The most ductile metals are, from greatest to least: gold, silver, platinum, iron, nickel, copper, aluminum, zinc, tin, and lead.

19. The most malleable metals are, from greatest to least: gold, silver, lead, copper, aluminum, tin, platinum, zinc, iron, and nickel.
Gold leaf is possible due to its malleability

20. Mineral Classification
Next –
Mineral Classification
and
Mineral Properties