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Minerals: Building Blocks of Rocks
Definition of a mineral Natural Inorganic Solid Possess an orderly internal structure of atoms Have a definite chemical composition Rock – any naturally occurring solid mass of mineral or mineral-like matter
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Rocks are Aggregates of Minerals
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Atoms: Building Blocks of Minerals
Smallest particles of matter
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Atomic Structure Nucleus – central part of an atom that contains
Protons – positive electrical charges Neutrons – neutral electrical charges Electron shells Surround nucleus Contain electrons – negative electrical charges
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Atomic Structure
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Atoms Atomic number Ions Number of protons in an atom’s nucleus.
Positively or negatively charged atoms due to electron gain or loss
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Composition and Structure of Minerals
Elements Basic building blocks of minerals Over 100 are known Defined by their number of protons Groups of the same type of atoms
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Periodic table of the elements
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Atomic Bonding Valence shell Octet rule Chemical bond
An atom’s outermost shell Octet rule Atoms gain, lose, or share electrons until their valence shells have 8 electrons Chemical bond Transfer or sharing of electrons to achieve full valence shell
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Atomic Bonding Ionic bond
Atoms bond together when oppositely charged ions attract
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Atomic Bonding Covalent bond
Sharing of a pair of electrons between atoms
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Atomic Bonding Metallic bond
Packed metal atoms have valence electrons free to move throughout the structure.
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Minerals Physical properties of minerals Habit – common crystal shape
Luster – appearance in reflected light Color Streak – color of mineral in powdered form Hardness – ability to resist scratching or abrasion Cleavage – tendency to break along planes of weak bonding
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Metallic Luster: Galena
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Color Color can be unreliable due to variations.
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Streak
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Crystal Shape, or Habit: Pyrite
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Hardness: Mohs Scale
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Cleavage: Micas
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Minerals Physical properties of minerals
Fracture – random pattern of breakage Specific gravity – mineral density Tenacity – resistance to cutting, breaking, bending, and deformation
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Conchoidal fracture
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Minerals Other properties Taste Smell Elasticity Malleability
Double refraction Magnetism Feel Reaction with hydrochloric acid
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Mineral Groups Rock-forming minerals Only a few dozen
Most abundant atoms in Earth’s crust are oxygen (46.6% by weight) and silicon (27.7% by weight)
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Mineral Groups Eight elements compose most rock-forming minerals:
oxygen (O), silicon (Si), aluminum (Al) iron (Fe) calcium (Ca) sodium (Na) potassium (K) magnesium (Mg)
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Composition of Continental Crust
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Mineral Groups Rock-forming silicates Most common mineral group
Contain the silicon-oxygen tetrahedron Four oxygen atoms surrounding a much smaller silicon atom Combines with other atoms to form the various silicate structures
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Mineral Groups Rock-forming silicates
Groups based upon tetrahedral arrangement Olivine – independent tetrahedra Pyroxene group – tetrahedra are arranged in chains Amphibole group – tetrahedra are arranged in double chains
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Hornblende: An Amphibole
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Mineral Groups Rock-forming silicates
Groups based upon tetrahedral arrangement Micas – tetrahedra are arranged in sheets Two types of mica are biotite (dark) and muscovite (light) Feldspars – Three-dimensional network of tetrahedra
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Mineral Groups Rock-forming silicates
Groups based upon tetrahedral arrangement Feldspars – most abundant group of minerals in Earth’s crust Quartz – three-dimensional network of tetrahedra
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Potassium feldspar
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Rose Quartz
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Mineral Groups Nonsilicate minerals – major groups Oxides Sulfides
Carbonates Halides Native elements
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Common Nonsilicate Mineral Groups
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Minerals Mineral groups Nonsilicate minerals Carbonates
A major rock-forming group Found in the rocks limestone and marble Halite and gypsum are found in sedimentary rocks Many have economic value
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Natural Resources Renewable Nonrenewable
Can be replenished in relatively short time spans Corn, wind, water, etc. Nonrenewable Earth has fixed quantities Oil, aluminum, natural gas, coal
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Natural Resources Mineral resources
Mineral resources are occurrences of useful minerals that will eventually be extracted Ore deposits are concentrations of metallic minerals that can be mined at a profit Economic factors may change and influence a resource
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Copper Mining
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