1. Minerals and Their Properties

3. Classifying Minerals
A mineral is a naturally formed, inorganic (nonliving) solid that has a definite crystalline structure
Element – a substance that cannot be separated or broken down into simpler substances by chemical means
Crystal – a solid whose atoms, ions, or molecules are arranged in a definite pattern
Compound – a substance made of atoms of two or more different elements joined by chemical bonds

4. Crystals

5. Minerals There are four features of minerals: Must occur naturally
Must be inorganic (nonliving material)
Must be a solid
Must have crystalline structure
Most minerals are made of compounds of several different elements.
A mineral made of only one element is called a native element. (Ex: gold, silver, copper, iron, diamond)

6. Classifying Minerals
Minerals are divided into two groups based on their chemical composition.
Silicate Minerals
Contain silicon and oxygen
Make up 90% of Earth’s crust
Nonsilicate Minerals
Do NOT contain silicon and oxygen

8. Identifying Minerals
Minerals can be identified by their physical properties.
Color - due to impurities and other factors, color is not the best way to identify a mineral
Luster - the way the surface of the mineral reflects light

9. Crystalline Structure - the regular pattern of the atoms in a mineral
The way the crystals form and are arranged causes some minerals to break more easily in one direction or another.
Fracture –the manner in which a mineral breaks along either curved or irregular surfaces
Cleavage – the splitting of a mineral
along smooth, flat surfaces

10. Hardness - a measure of the ability of a mineral to resist scratching
Fredrich Mohs developed a hardness scale based on ten relatively common minerals

12. Streak - the color of the powder of a mineral
If you rub a mineral across a porcelain tile (or streak plate) it will leave a stripe of color
Density
The amount of matter in a given space
Density is found by dividing mass by volume (D=m/v)
Measured in grams per cubic centimeter (g/cm3)