A mineral is a naturally formed,
inorganic solid that has a
definite crystalline structure.
 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
 Has a chemical formula, most are formed from compounds of two
or more elements, some minerals consist of one element ex. Au
 Crystal Structure (Crystalline)
 A definite structure in which atoms are arranged
 Is it non-living material?
 Is it a solid?
 Is it formed in nature?
 Does it have a crystalline structure?
Wood
Gold
Fossil
Topaz
Bones
Granite
Quartz
Pearls
Talc
Icebergs
Diamond
Coal
Rock Salt
 Minerals
 Non-Minerals
a) Gold
a) Wood - once living
b) Topaz
b) Fossils – once living
c) Quartz
c) Bone - living material
d) Talc
d) Granite - intrusive igneous rock
e) Iceberg*
e) Pearls – made by oysters
f)
Diamonds
Coal - Sedimentary rock
g) Rock Salt – Sedimentary rock
f)
According to IMA – ice is listed as a mineral
 Color:
 Physical Property that can be observed without doing
anything
 Streak:
 Color of the powder it leaves when you rub it along a
surface
 Luster:
 How it shines; how it reflects light
 Cleavage and Fracture:
 The way a mineral breaks
 Cleavage: Mineral splits easily with a flat surface
 Fracture: Minerals that break apart in an irregular way
 Special Properties:
 Glows
 Magnifies
 Magnetic
 Reactive
 Density:
 Mass in a given space; mass per volume
 Hardness:
 Mohs hardness scale
 Scratch test: Minerals can only scratch those minerals
softer than it is
 Crystal Systems:
 Number and angle of Crystal faces
 6 crystal systems