1. www.middleschoolscience.com 2010
What is a Mineral?
2010

2. What is a mineral? Characteristics:
Solid
Cannot be a liquid or a gas
Naturally Occurring
Found in nature, not man-made
Inorganic
Is not alive and never was, non-living
Fixed composition (Chemical Formula)
Has a chemical formula, most are formed from compounds of two or more elements ex. NaCl (Salt) and C12H22O11 (Sugar) , some minerals consist of one element ex. Au-gold, Cu-copper,
Crystalline Structure (Crystal Form)
A definite structure in which atoms are arranged

3. Crystal System

4. What is a mineral? Definition:
A mineral is a naturally formed, inorganic solid, that has a fixed composition, and definite crystalline structure.

5. The next few slides show an assortment of items.
Questions to ask yourself when determining if an item is a mineral or not:
Is it non-living material?
Is it a solid?
Is it formed in nature?
Does it have a fixed composition?
Does it have a crystalline structure?
The next few slides show an assortment of items.
As a group, categorize the items as either:
Minerals or Non-Minerals.

6. Wood

7. Gold

8. Fossil

9. Topaz

10. Bones

11. Granite

12. Quartz

13. Pearls

14. Talc

15. Icebergs

16. Diamond

17. Coal

18. Rock Salt

19. And the answers are… Minerals Non-Minerals Gold Topaz Quartz Talc
Iceberg*
Diamonds
Non-Minerals
Wood - once living
Fossils – once living
Bone - living material
Granite - intrusive igneous rock
Pearls – made by oysters
Coal - Organic Sedimentary rock
Rock Salt – Sedimentary rock
According to IMA – ice is listed as a mineral