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Rocks and Minerals
MS. Andreoli

2. Properties of a Mineral
INTRO
Instructions:
On this page please click through each topic to learn more about it.
When complete click the back button the bottom left hand side of the screen.
That will bring you back to this page.
From there you can move onto the next topic.
When complete, quiz yourself with the 6 questions labeled “Guess the Rock Type” and “Guess the Rock Name”.
Click the numbers below to reveal the question!
What is a Mineral?
Guess The Rock Type
How Do Rocks and
Minerals Differ? 1 2 3
Properties of a Mineral
Overview of
Rock Types
Guess the Rock Name 1 2 3
Igneous Rocks
Sedimentary Rocks
Metamorphic Rocks

3. What is a Mineral? A solid, inorganic substance of natural occurrence.
Inorganic: non-living
Natural: not man made
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4. Properties of Minerals
Hardness: According to Moh’s Scale of Mineral Hardness, a mineral can be as soft as Talc (1 on the scale) or as hard as Diamond (10 on the scale). This means that Diamond can scratch any other mineral and talc can not.
Streak: Is the color a mineral will give off when rubbed against an unglazed porcelain plate. This powder color it leaves behind is called streak.
Cleavage: The angles in which the crystals break on a particular plane.
Hardness
Cleavage
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Streak

5. How does a rock differ from a mineral?
A rock is an arrangement of one or more minerals.
(For example: Granite, an igneous rock is made up of the minerals muscovite, biotite, amphibole, or pyroxene.)
How does a rock differ from a mineral?
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6. Three basic rock types:
Igneous
Sedimentary
Metamorphic
Formation: Extreme heat and pressure of previously occurring rock formations.
Identified By: The intensity for Foliation (banding and fold of the minerals)
Formation: The cooling of liquid hot magma, resulting in solidification.
Identified By: Their composition (what they are made of) and their texture (how big the crystals are).
Formation: Cementation and compaction of sediments.
Identified By: Grain size and classifications of Clastic, Chemical and Organic.
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7. Igneous Rocks
Extrusive (Volcanic): Is the environmental formation of an igneous rock as it was formed, OUTSIDE of the volcanic chamber.
Intrusive (Plutonic): Is the environmental formation of an igneous rock as it was formed, INSIDE of the volcanic chamber.
Crystal Size: The size of the crystals can help identify the rock because intrusive rocks will have larger crystals as it took longer for them to cool and develop.
Texture:
Vesicular (meaning gas pockets) are only seen in a few extrusive igneous rocks. It is formed by gas being released from the interior of the rock before completely cooling.
Glassy Texture is most commonly seen in obsidian which appears to be a black glass, formed by the immediate submergence of volcanic material in water.
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8. Sedimentary Rocks
Inorganic: Is a rock composed of non-living fragments such as sand, silt or clay.
Organic: Is a rock formed from previously living fragments such as plant remains or shells.
Texture:
Clastic: Consists of fragments that are cemented together.
Crystalline: Crystal like formation
Bioclastic: Composed of previously living fragments cemented together
Composition: What minerals are present in the rock formation.
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9. Metamorphic ROcks Texture:
Foliated: Layered or folded banding in the rock structure.
Non-foliated: Not possessing the layered/ foliated banding structure.
Regional Metamorphism: Is formed over a large region due to tectonic plate collision.
Contact Metamorphism: Is formed when an intrusions heat source comes in contact with the pre-existing rock structure.
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10. Is this rock Igneous, Sedimentary or Metamorphic?
Guess the rock type
Is this rock Igneous, Sedimentary or Metamorphic?
Sedimentary
*Click the space bar to reveal the answer*
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11. Is this rock Igneous, Sedimentary or Metamorphic?
Guess the rock type
Is this rock Igneous, Sedimentary or Metamorphic?
IGNEOUS
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*Click the space bar to reveal answer*

12. Is this rock Igneous, Sedimentary or Metamorphic?
Guess the rock type
Is this rock Igneous, Sedimentary or Metamorphic?
METAMORPHIC
*Click the space bar to reveal answer*

13. GRANITE WHAT IS THE ROCK NAME? Guess the rock name
Break it down, think about how this rock could have been formed.
Does this rock have crystals?
If so what rock type could it be?
Then look at the size of the crystals, is it intrusive or extrusive?
WHAT IS THE
ROCK NAME?
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14. GNEISS WHAT IS THE ROCK NAME? Guess the rock name
Break it down, think about where this rock could have been formed.
Does this rock have crystals?
Does this rock have a foliated or non-foliated texture?
Is this foliation banding?
WHAT IS THE
ROCK NAME?
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15. Break it down, think about where the rock could have been formed?
Guess the rock name
SANDSTONE
Break it down, think about where the rock could have been formed?
Does it have crystals?
What is the grain size?
WHAT IS THE ROCK NAME?
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