1. A mineral…

2. is naturally occurring and inorganic -
Not manufactured
Has never been alive
Coal is not a mineral

3. is a solid with specific composition -
Is not a liquid or gas
Is made up of specific elements
Natural gas is not a mineral

4. has a definite crystalline structure -
Atoms are all arranged in the same way
Silicates crystalline structure is a
silicon-oxygen tetrahedron (1 Si and 4 O)
Non-silicates have a diverse chemical composition that they display a vast variety of crystalline structures. Common crystal structures are cubes, hexagonal and irregular masses.

5. Six Major Crystal Systems
Cubic

6. Minerals from Magma

7. Magma is:
Molten material beneath the surface of the Earth

8. When magma is forced upward it:
Cools
And compounds in the magma interact chemically to form minerals

9. Crystal Size
If the magma reaches Earth’s surface before crystallizing, it cools quickly and small crystals form.
If the magma crystallizes in Earth’s heated interior, it cools slowly and large crystals have time to form.

10. Crystal Size Size of crystal is dependent on: Rate of cooling
Amount of gas contained in the magma
Chemical composition of magma

11. Mineral Groups Oxygen + metal = oxides Oxygen + silicone = silicates
Examples: hematite, magnetite
Oxygen + silicone = silicates
Examples: feldspar, quartz
Oxygen + carbon = carbonates
Examples: dolomite, calcite