2023-09-01T00:47:57+03:00[Europe/Moscow] en true Definition of mineral, <p>"Naturally occuring"</p>, <p>"Generally inorganic"</p>, <p>"Solid substance"</p>, <p>"Orderly crystalline structure"</p>, <p>"Definite chemical composition that allows for some variation"</p>, Protons, How is the atomic number of an element determined?, Neutrons, What particles are in the nucleus of an atom?, Atom, Electrons, Covalent bond, Ionic Bond, Ion, Metallic Bond, Element, Chemical Compound, Octet Rule, Chemical Bond, Diagnostic Properties, Ambiguous Properties, Luster, Common terms to describe luster, Color, Streak, Ability to transmit light, Crystal shape/habit, Hardness, Mohs scale, Cleavage, Fracture, Tenacity, Density, Specific gravity, Rock-forming minerals, Economic mineral, Classification of minerals (hierarchy), Silicate, Eight elements that make up rock-forming minerals, Nonsilicate, Silicon-oxygen tetrahedron, Independent tetrahedron, Polymerization, Light/Nonferromagnesian silicate, Potassium feldspar, Plagioclase feldspar, Quartz, Muscovite, Clay (mineral), Dark/ferromagnesian silicate, Olivine, Augite, Hornblende, Biotite, Garnet, Calcite, Dolomite, Halite, Gypsum, Common nonsilicate mineral groups, Common silicate mineral groups, Renewable, Nonrenewable, Mineral resource, Ore deposit flashcards

3 - Minerals

Chapter 3 of Principles of Geology Textbook

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  • Definition of mineral
    A naturally occurring inorganic solid that has an orderly crystalline structure and a definite chemical composition that allows for some variation

  • "Naturally occuring"

    Formed by natural geological processes, as opposed to artificial methods

  • "Generally inorganic"

    Inorganic crystalline solids found naturally in the ground

  • "Solid substance"

    Only solid crystalline substances are considered minerals

  • "Orderly crystalline structure"

    Atoms and ions of minerals are arranged in an orderly and repetitive manner

  • "Definite chemical composition that allows for some variation"

    Chemical compositions of minerals can very slightly, such as with quartz and its different colors
  • Protons
    Dense particles with a positive charge
  • How is the atomic number of an element determined?
    The number of protons in the nucleus
  • Neutrons
    Dense particle with no charge
  • What particles are in the nucleus of an atom?
    Protons and neutrons
  • Atom
    Smallest particle that cannot be chemically split
  • Electrons
    Particle with a negative charge
  • Covalent bond
    Result of a pair of atoms sharing one or more valence electrons
  • Ionic Bond
    Result of an atom giving up one or more electrons to form ions
  • Ion
    A positively or negatively charged atom
  • Metallic Bond
    Result of multiple atoms contributing their valence electrons to a freely moving pool of electrons
  • Element
    Atoms with the same number of protons, as well as the same chemical and physical properties
  • Chemical Compound
    Result of elements joining with other elements
  • Octet Rule
    Atoms tend to gain, lose, or share electrons until eight valence electrons have been attained
  • Chemical Bond
    Transfer or sharing of electrons that allows each atom to gain a full shell of valence electrons
  • Diagnostic Properties
    Unique traits some minerals possess that are particularly useful in identification (example: hematite is dark-colored, but has a bright red streak)
  • Ambiguous Properties
    Properties of minerals that vary among different specimens (example: color)
  • Luster
    The appearance or quality of light reflected from the surface of a mineral
  • Common terms to describe luster
    Metallic, submetallic, nonmetallic, vitreous/glassy, dull/earthy
  • Color
    Phenomena of light that allows for objects to be differentiated
  • Streak
    Color of a mineral in powdered form
  • Ability to transmit light
    The ability to see through mineral samples to varying degrees (common terms: opaque, transluscent, and transparent)
  • Crystal shape/habit
    Shape of an individual crystal or an aggregate of crystals
  • Hardness
    Measure of a mineral's resistance to scratching and abrasion
  • Mohs scale
    A series of ten minerals used as a standard in determining hardness
  • Cleavage
    The tendency of a mineral to break along planes of weak bonding
  • Fracture
    Any break or rupture along a rock
  • Tenacity
    A mineral's resistance to breaking or deforming
  • Density
    A property of matter defined as mass per unit of volume
  • Specific gravity
    The ratio of a substance's weight to the weight of an equal volume of water
  • Rock-forming minerals
    The relatively few minerals that make up most of the rocks within Earth's crust
  • Economic mineral
    A mineral used extensively in the manufacture of products
  • Classification of minerals (hierarchy)
    Mineral species (quartz) -&gt; mineral varieties (smoky quartz, amethyst)
  • Silicate
    A mineral that has the silicon-oxygen tetrahedron as its basic structure
  • Eight elements that make up rock-forming minerals
    Oxygen (O), silicon (Si), aluminum (Al), iron (Fe), calcium (Ca), sodium (Na), potassium (K), and magnesium (Mg)
  • Nonsilicate
    Mineral groups that lack silica in structures, thus accounting for less than ten percent of Earth's crust
  • Silicon-oxygen tetrahedron
    A structure composed of four oxygen atoms surrounding a single silicon atom that constitutes the basic building block of silicate minerals
  • Independent tetrahedron
    Simplest silicate structure
  • Polymerization
    The ability of a silicate tetrahedra to link together in a variety of configurations, such as chains, sheets, and three-dimensional structures
  • Light/Nonferromagnesian silicate
    Silicate mineral that lacks iron and/or magnesium, which tend to have lighter colors and lower specific gravities
  • Potassium feldspar
    Abundant light silicate containing potassium ions
  • Plagioclase feldspar
    Type of feldspar containing both sodium and calcium ions that freely substitute for one another depending on the crystallization environment
  • Quartz
    Common silicate mineral consisting entirely of silicon and oxygen, resists weathering well
  • Muscovite
    Common member of mica family that has an excellent cleavage (sheets)
  • Clay (mineral)
    Group of light-colored silicates that is a result of the weathering of igneous rocks. It is a major component of sedimentary rocks and soil
  • Dark/ferromagnesian silicate
    Silicate mineral that contains ions of iron and/or magnesium and thus is much darker in color wtih a higher specific gravity
  • Olivine
    High-temperature dark silicate usually found in basalt
  • Augite
    Black silicate mineral that is a dominant component of basalt
  • Hornblende
    Dark green to black mineral found in igneous rocks
  • Biotite
    Dark iron-rich mineral with excellent cleavage
  • Garnet
    Silicate mineral composed of individual silica tetrahedrons and exhibits conchoidal fracture
  • Calcite
    Calcium carbonate, one of the two most common carbonate minerals
  • Dolomite
    Calcium/magnesium carbonate, one of the two most common carbonate minerals
  • Halite
    Table salt, commonly found in layers that are the last vestiges of ancient evaporated seas
  • Gypsum
    Hydrated calcium sulfate mineral from which plaster, drywall, and other building materials are made
  • Common nonsilicate mineral groups
    Carbonates, halides, oxides, sulfides, sulfates, native/single elements
  • Common silicate mineral groups
    Olivine, pyroxene, amphibole, biotite, muscovite, potassium feldspar, plagioclase, quartz
  • Renewable
    Refers to a resource that is virtually inexhaustible or that can be replenished over short time spans
  • Nonrenewable
    Refers to a resource that forms or accumulates over such long time spans that it must be considered as fixed in total quantity
  • Mineral resource
    All discovered and undiscovered deposits of a useful mineral that can be extracted now or at some point in the future
  • Ore deposit
    A useful metallic mineral that can be mined at a profit or certain nonmetallic minerals