1. Mineral Classification

2. Plate tectonics recycles the Earth’s crust by destroying crust material along convergent plate boundaries and forming new crust along divergent boundaries.

3. Rocks are formed by minerals
Rocks are formed by minerals. The diagram shows how atoms, molecules, minerals and rocks are connected.
atoms
molecules
minerals
+ minerals
rocks
SiO2
combine to form

4. Minerals
Minerals are naturally occurring, inorganic solids. Some common minerals are quartz, mica, feldspar, diamond, gypsum, talc and calcite.
Diamond
Mica
Quartz

5. Minerals have a definite chemical structure which gives each mineral a set of unique properties. These unique properties are used to identify minerals.

6. Color - the color a mineral appears to be.

7. The color of a mineral’s powder.
Streak
The color of a mineral’s powder.

8. Luster – how a mineral reflects light (metallic, glassy, dull, pearly)
Non - metallic
Glassy

9. Transparency/Opacity – whether or not a mineral allows light to pass through it (transparent, semi-transparent or opaque)
Transparent
Semi-Transparent
Opaque

10. Texture – description of what a mineral feels like, such as smooth, rough, grainy

11. Density = mass / volume
Use a scale and overflow can or graduated cylinder to measure mass and volume

12. Specific Gravity
A mineral’s specific gravity is a ratio of its mass to the mass of an equal volume of water.

13. Cleavage Term to Describe
Tendency of the mineral to break along smooth surfaces.
Term to Describe

14. Fracture
Minerals that do not have cleavage.
Term to Describe

15. Crystal form – minerals have specific crystal shapes that can be used for identification
Term to Describe
Crystals
No Crystals

16. Special Properties – does it create a double image from refraction
Special Properties – does it create a double image from refraction? Glow in UV light? Is it magnetic?

17. Hardness
The resistance of a mineral to scratching.
Scale: 1 (softest) – 10 (hardest)
Use Moh’s Hardness Scale to determine how a mineral is classified.
The Moh’s hardness classification of a mineral is determined by observing whether its surface is scratched by a substance of known or defined hardness.

19. Moh’s Scale WS – Name that Mineral