BAESI Workshop: Rocks, Minerals, Soils and Society
Minerals in Everyday Life: Group Activity
By LeAnne Teruya
Department of Geology, San Jose State University
leanne.teruya@sjsu.edu
Introduction:
It is often assumed that studying rocks and minerals is important to geologists and rock hounds,
but not very central to the general public. Mines and the places that geologists study and collect
rocks are sometimes in remote areas, so the impression may be that we must travel to special
natural areas to come into contact with rocks and minerals. Little do people realize just how
much rocks and minerals are essential parts of our everyday lives.
The following activity will familiarize students with a few of the minerals they encounter on a
daily basis. Students will learn the names and uses of several common minerals which are
essential ingredients of items that they interact with everyday.
Underlying principles:
 The composition, structure, and availability of individual minerals determines their
unique properties
 The properties of individual minerals determines their uses/applications
 We rely upon these natural resources for much of our modern life. It is important to
recognize their importance in order for us to manage our resources wisely.
Thinking skill development:
Recognizing that rocks and minerals are constituents of many of our daily consumed
items, students will understand the importance of minerals as natural resources and the
connection between geology and themselves.
Learning Objectives:
Discover the minerals in items we use everyday.
Recognize the prevalence and usefulness of minerals in our everyday lives.
Age range of students: years 9+
Time needed to complete activity: 20-25 minutes
Materials List:


Samples of the following minerals:
 Kaolinite

 Quartz

 Mica

Samples of paper with varying textures:
 rough,

Graphite
Gypsum
Halite


Calcite
feldspar
medium

smooth


Containers to make “kits” of everyday items
Everyday items:
 Salt
 Eye shadow
 Antacid
 Sand paper
tablets
 Dry wall
 Pencils
(also known
 Bon Ami
as wall
scouring
board and
powder
gypsum
board)
Group Activity:
1. Each group receives one kit of everyday items and one sample set of minerals.
2. Introduce the students to each of the minerals. If time permits, have the students make
general observations about the minerals—hard, soft, powdery, smooth, clear, opaque, etc.
3. Students identify the each item in the kit.
4. Students feel the paper samples and determine which is the smoothest (contains the most
kaolinite) and which is the roughest (contains the least amount of kaolinite).
5. Students guess which minerals in the sample set are used in the everyday items in their
kits.
6. Connect the minerals with the everyday items. Explain which minerals are used in each
everyday item.
 Salt = halite
 Antacid = calcite, kaolinite
 Dry wall = gypsum
 Pencil = graphite and kaolinite (#2 pencil = 50% graphite, 50% kaolinite)
 Scouring Powder = quartz, feldspar, calcite
 Eye shadow = mica
 Sand paper = quartz
7. Discuss the mineral properties which make them important ingredients in each everyday
item.
Helpful Hints:
 Mineral samples can be laid out on a piece of paper within a grid that contains the names
of all the minerals. (See sample grid.)
 Brief descriptions of each mineral could also be included on the grid to make mineral
identification quick and easy.
 A glass marble can be used instead of scouring powder. It contains quartz and feldspar.
Learning outcomes: Students can:
 Recognize the connection between geology & everyday life
 Recognize how a few basic minerals are components of many everyday items we rely
upon
 Understand how the particular properties of each make them useful in a variety of
applications
Follow up and Extension activities:
 Have students investigate further applications of the minerals in this activity.
 Have students investigate how other commonly used minerals are part of their everyday
existence. Examples: talc, hematite, asbestos, bentonite, bauxite
 Have students create their own “mineral quiz” using the results of their investigation into
common uses of other minerals.
Useful Resources:
 Minerals information institute--http://www.mii.org/
 U.S. Geological Survey—The Life Cycle of a Mineral
 The California Geological Survey—Teacher Resources, Teacher Features
Example of a Mineral Samples Grid:
Quartz
Kaolinite
Feldspar
Halite
Graphite
Calcite
Gypsum
Mica
Group Activity: Minerals in Everyday Items
191111
Identify the household items handed out to each group.
1.
_______________________ (edible)
2.
_______________________ (not dessert, although often eaten after a meal)
3.
_______________________ (building material)
4.
_______________________ (There is no lead in pencil “lead,” so what’s it made of?)
5.
_______________________ (cleans)
6.
_______________________
7.
_______________________
Feel the difference between the stapled pieces of paper. Kaolinite, a clay mineral, is used to give
some paper a smoother texture. Kaolinite also prevents color bleed in printer ink, helps the
colors to retain brightness, and helps promote even absorption of colors.
Which piece of paper contains the most kaolinite?
_________________
Which piece of paper contains the least amount of kaolinite?
_________________
Try to match the minerals with the products above. A mineral may be used more than once. All
the minerals will be used at least once. The minerals are: quartz, mica, graphite, gypsum, halite,
calcite, feldspar.
1. _________________
5. __________________
2. _________________
6. __________________
3. _________________
7. __________________
4. _________________