Minerals
What is a Mineral?
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Solid
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not gas
not liquid
What is a Mineral?
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Solid
Naturally Occurring
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must be found in nature
was not made in the laboratory
What is a Mineral?
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Solid
Naturally Occurring
Inorganic
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not made from a living thing
does not contain chains of carbon atoms
What is a Mineral?
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Solid
Naturally Occurring
Inorganic
Definite Crystal Structure
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Atoms arrange themselves in an orderly fashion to
create regular geometric patterns
Crystal Cave Video
http://channel.nationalgeograp
hic.com/explorer/videos/adangerous-beauty/
What is a Mineral?
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Solid
Naturally Occurring
Inorganic
Definite Crystal Structure
Definite Chemical Formula
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Gold
Calcite
Quartz
Pyrite
(Au)
(CaCO3)
(SiO2)
(FeS2)
Formation of Minerals
Evaporation
Minerals can form when solutions
evaporate and the materials dissolved
in the water crystallize.
Formation of Minerals
Volcanic Activity
As magma and lava cooled, minerals crystallized.
Some atoms were stable and did not combine.
Formation of Minerals
Heat and
Pressure
Heat, pressure and chemical change deep inside the Earth
create minerals. They form from existing minerals that are
transformed by the heat and pressure.
Mineral Facts
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More than 4000 minerals have been
identified.
New minerals are still being discovered.
NJ is one of two places in the world that
have more different minerals than any
other place on Earth!
Composition of the Earth’s Crust
98.5% of Earth’s Crust is made of:
-Oxygen (O)
-Silicon (Si)
-Aluminum (Al)
-Iron (Fe)
-Calcium (Ca)
-Sodium (Na)
-Potassium (K)
-Magnesium (Mg)
mostly in combination with one another.
Most minerals are made of chemically
combined (bonded) elements. These
minerals are grouped according to the
elements in them.
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Oxides –
have oxygen in them
Halides –
have halogens in them
Sulfides –
have sulfur in them
Carbonates – have CO3 in them
Sulfates –
have SO4 in them
Silicates –
have SiO4 in them
Most Common Minerals
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Silicates – 92% of all minerals contain
oxygen and silicon
Silicon Dioxide – also known as quartz
(large pieces) or sand (small pieces)
makes up 75% of the Earth’s crust!
9 minerals make up 99% of Earth:
feldspar, pyroxene, mica, olivine,
dolomite, quartz, amphibole, clay, calcite
Feldspar
Pyroxene
Mica
Olivine
Dolomite
Quartz
Amphibole
Clay
Calcite
Most elements combined to make
minerals but some did not.
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Called the Native Minerals (one element alone)
Also called Native Elements
Copper (Cu)
Gold (Au)
Sulfur (S)
Ore – rock that contains minerals
that can be mined
Iron Ore
Gold Ore
Alloy – mixture of two or more minerals
Bronze = copper + tin
Pewter = tin + copper
+ lead + antimony
Stainless
Steel = iron
+ chromium
+ nickel
Brass = copper + zinc
Solder =
tin + lead
Every American Requires 40,000
Pounds of New Minerals per Year
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at this level of consumption the average newborn infant
will need a lifetime supply of:
-795 lbs of lead (car batteries, electric components)
-757 lbs of zinc (to make brass, rubber, paints)
-1500lbs of copper (electrical motors, wirings
-3593 lbs aluminum (soda cans, aircraft)
-32,700 lbs of iron (kitchen utensils, automobiles,
buildings)
-28,213 lbs of salt (cooking, detergents)
-1,238,101 lbs of stone, sand, gravel, cement (roads,
homes, etc.)