Rocks are different than minerals.

Most of the time, rocks will contain minerals, while to have a metallic luster. Not all metallic minerals are metals. If their surfaces have
minerals always contain atoms. Both are solids and can be found in the earth's crust. shiny appearances like metals, they are considered to have a metallic luster.
Minerals are inorganic, multicolored, and made from elements through chemical Sphalerite, for example, is a mineral with a metallic
compositions. Minerals have a definite crystalline structure and can contain luster that is not a metal. Minerals with nonmetallic lusters, such as calcite, gypsum,
nutritional value. Rocks, usually made from minerals, have no definite shape and can sulfur, and quartz, do not shine like metals. Nonmetallic lusters might be described as
come in many colors. Rocks are a part of the rock cycle and sometimes contain fossils. dull, pearly, waxy, silky, or earthy.
Most believe that diamonds are rocks, but they are actually minerals. Differences in luster are caused by differences in the chemical compositions of
Minerals are inorganic uniform chemical compositions of a solid that have a minerals. Describing the luster of nonmetallic minerals is a subjective process. For
crystalline internal structure and occur naturally. A crystalline structure is a material example, a mineral that appears waxy to one person might not appear waxy to
that arranges itself in a unique and organized manner. Minerals can be made from another. Using luster to identify a mineral should usually be used in combination with
multiple types of elements or just one. For example, when in its liquid form, Magma is other physical characteristics.
not a mineral; when it cools and hardens, it becomes a mineral because all minerals
are solids. Minerals can be vast, like the size of a tree, or very small, like a grain of Hardness
sand. One of the most useful and reliable tests for identifying minerals is hardness.
Hardness is a measure of how easily a mineral can be scratched. German geologist
Identification of Minerals Friedrich Mohs developed a scale by which an unknown mineral’s hardness can be
Geologists rely on several simple tests to identify minerals. These tests are based on a compared to the known hardness of ten minerals. The minerals in the Mohs scale of
mineral’s physical and chemical properties, which are crystal form, luster, hardness, mineral hardness were selected because they are easily recognized and, with the
cleavage, fracture, streak, color, texture, density, specific gravity, and special exception of diamond, readily found in nature.
properties. It is usually best to use a combination of tests instead of just one to
identify minerals. Cleavage and fracture
Atomic arrangement also determines how a mineral will break. Minerals break along
Crystal form planes where atomic bonding is weak. A mineral that splits relatively easily and
Some minerals form such distinct crystal shapes that they are immediately evenly along one or more flat planes is said to have cleavage. To identify a mineral
recognizable. Halite—common table salt—always forms perfect cubes. Quartz according to its cleavage, geologists count the number of cleaved planes and study the
crystals, with their double pointed ends and six-sided crystals, are also readily angle or angles between them. For example, mica has perfect cleavage in one
recognized. However, as you learned earlier in this section, perfect crystals are not direction. It breaks in sheets because of weak atomic bonds. Quartz breaks unevenly
always formed, so identification based only on crystal form is rare. along jagged edges because of its tightly bonded atoms. Minerals that break with
rough or jagged edges are said to have fracture. Flint, jasper, and chalcedony (kal SEH
Color duh nee) (microcrystalline forms of quartz) exhibit a unique fracture with arc like
One of the most noticeable characteristics of a mineral is its color. Color is sometimes patterns resembling clamshells, also shown in Figure 4.8. This fracture is called
caused by the presence of trace elements or compounds within a mineral.. These conchoidal (kahn KOY duhl) fracture and is diagnostic in identifying the rocks and
different colors are the result of different trace elements in the quartz samples. Red minerals that exhibit it.
jasper, purple amethyst, and orange citrine contain different amounts and forms of
iron. Rose quartz contains manganese or titanium. However, the appearance of milky Streak
quartz is caused by the numerous bubbles of gas and liquid trapped within the crystal. A mineral rubbed across an unglazed porcelain plate will sometimes leave a colored
In general, color is one of the least reliable clues of a mineral’s identity. powdered streak on the surface of the plate. Streak is the color of a mineral when it is
broken up and powdered. The streak of a nonmetallic mineral is usually white. Streak
Luster is most useful in identifying metallic minerals.
Luster is the relative differences in the opacity and transparency of a mineral as light
is reflected on its surface. This describes the 'sparkles' of the mineral surfaces. The Specific gravity
way that a mineral reflects light from its surface is called luster. There are two types Is the ratio of the weight of the mineral to the weight of the water with an equal
of luster — metallic luster and nonmetallic luster. Silver, gold, copper, and galena volume. Texture
have shiny surfaces that reflect light, like the chrome trim on cars. Thus, they are said
Texture describes how a mineral feels to the touch. This, like luster, is subjective. _______________________________________________________________
Therefore, texture is often used in combination with other tests to identify a mineral.
The texture of a mineral might be described as smooth, rough, ragged, greasy, or
soapy. For example, fluorite, has a smooth texture, whiles the texture of talc, and is Common Rock-Forming Minerals
greasy. Although about 3000 minerals occur in Earth’s crust, only about 30 of these are
common. Eight to ten of these minerals are referred to as rock-forming minerals
Density and specific gravity because they make up most of the rocks in Earth’s crust. They are primarily composed
Sometimes, two minerals of the same size have different weights. Differences in of the eight most common elements in Earth’s crust.
weight are the result of differences in density, which is defined as mass per unit of
volume. If you had a sample of gold and a sample of pyrite of the same size, the gold Most Common Rock-forming Minerals
would have greater weight because it is denser. Density reflects the atomic mass and 1. Quartz. It is a glassy-looking hard substance with white streaks. Despite its
structure of a mineral. Because density is not dependent on the size or shape of a hardness, with a Mohs hardness of 7, it is quite brittle. Pure quartz is clear and
mineral, it is a useful identification tool. Often, however, differences in density are too transparent. Colored varieties of quartz are due to elemental impurities built into its
small to be distinguished by lifting different minerals. Thus, for accurate mineral lattice. The grains of quartz, in general, are irregular in shape.
identification, density must be measured. The most common measure of density used
by geologists is specific gravity, which is the ratio of the mass of a substance to the
mass of an equal volume of water at 4°C.

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Chemical Properties of Minerals

All minerals have a certain arrangement of elements in their crystal structure. They
can be represented by a chemical formula, which presents the proportions of atoms
that constitute them. For example, the mineral quartz has a chemical formula SiO2. Its
crystal structure is a continuous framework of silicon-oxygen tetrahedra. The
chemical properties of minerals depend on their chemical formula and crystal 2. Feldspar has a chemical composition of Xal(1-2) Si (3-2) O8 , where X is K, Ca, or
structure. Solubility and melting point are chemical properties commonly used to Na. It is quite hard with a Mohs hardness of 6. It is a light-colored material, usually
describe a mineral. white, but they can have lighter shades of red or green. It has a glassy luster. In rocks,
feldspar forms rectangular crystals that break along flat faces.
Solubility refers the ability of a substance to dissolve in a solvent at a specified
temperature. For example, biotite, a mineral commonly found in igneous rocks, is
soluble in both acid and base solutions. The dissolution releases the loosely-bound
potassium ions in the mineral.

Melting point refers to the temperature at which solid turns into liquid. Minerals
composed of atoms that are tightly bonded within the crystal structure have high
melting points. For example, quartz melts above 1670°C. In the laboratory, the
composition and crystal structure of minerals can be analyzed through chemical and
instrumental analysis.

Crystallographic techniques such as X-ray diffraction are performed to determine

the crystal structure of the mineral.
 6. Amphibole has a dark color with a Mohs hardness ranging from 5 to 6. Hornblende
3. Mica is any group of hydrous potassium aluminum silicate minerals. The most is the most common amphibole. It has a glassy luster and an opaque characteristic. Its
common examples are clear muscovite and black biotite. Mica is soft, with Mohs crystals are very long and very thin.
hardness ranging from 2 to 2.5. It is easily identified by its perfect cleavage, reducing
it to thin smooth flakes. Its shine is responsible for the flashes of light in rocks such as
granite and slate.

7. Olivine is a silicate mineral with a general chemical composition of (Mg, Fe)2 SO4,
but calcium, manganese, and nickel can be substituted for magnesium and iron. It is
4. Pyroxene minerals have a general composition of XY (Al, Si)2 O6, where X is Ca or known for its distinct olive-green color and commonly used in the gemstone industry
Mg and Y is either Mg, Fe, or Al. as peridot. It is a glassy looking and transparent substance that is almost as hard as
quartz. Its crystals have a granular shape.

5. Augite is the most common of this group. It has a glassy luster with streaks of
white, light green, or light brown. It is generally black in color and has stubby ________________________________________________________________
prismatic crystals. Its key feature is its two cleavages at around 90°.
 - This sediment can include minerals, small pieces of plants and other organic matter.
- The sediment is compressed over a long period of time before consolidating into
THE THREE MAIN CATEGORIES OF ROCKS solid
Rock layers of rock.
- Natural substance, a solid aggregate of one or more minerals or mineraloids. For - Examples: limestone, sandstone, mudstone, greywacke, chalk, coal, claystone
example, granite, a common rock, is a combination of the mineral’s quartz, feldspar and breccia
and biotite. - The Earth's outer solid layer, the lithosphere, is made of rock. - Rock has
been used by mankind throughout history. The minerals and metals found in rocks B. Metamorphic Rocks
have been essential to human civilization. - Metamorphic rock is the result of the transformation of a pre-existing rock type, the
protolith, in a process called metamorphism, which means "change in form".
Types of rock - The protolith is subjected to heat and extreme pressure causing profound physical
A. Igneous Rocks and/or chemical change.
- Formed through the cooling and solidification of magma or lava. - The protolith may be sedimentary rock, igneous rock or another older metamorphic
Two basic types: rock.
Intrusive igneous rock (Plutonic) – crystallize below Earth's surface, and the - Examples: anthracite, quartzite, marble, slate, granulite, gneiss and schist
slow cooling that occurs there allows large crystals to form.
Examples: diorite, gabbro, granite, pegmatite, and peridotite Metamorphism
Metamorphic rocks – rocks that are formed from the transformation of pre-existing
Extrusive igneous rock (Volcanic) – erupt onto the surface, where they cool rocks (igneous, sedimentary, or metamorphic rocks) through the process of
quickly to form small crystals. Some cool so quickly that they form an metamorphism.
amorphous glass. Metamorphism can involve changes in the physical and chemical properties of rocks
Examples: andesite, basalt, obsidian, pumice, rhyolite, scoria, and tuff. in response to heat, pressure, and chemically active fluids. They are commonly
Igneous rocks are defined as types of rocks that are formed when molten rock (rock formed underneath the earth through metamorphism
liquefied by intense heat and pressure) cools to a solid state.
Contact Metamorphism
Igneous rocks can be easily identified with their texture, density, color, and mineral  Heat as the main factor: occurs when a pre-existing rocks get in contact with
composition. Its texture depends on the shape, size, time period to cool down and a heat source (magma)
solidify, and the arrangement of crystals in the rock.  Occurs on a relatively small scale: around the vicinity of intruding magma
 Create non-foliated metamorphic rocks
1. Intrusive igneous rocks are formed when the magma cools off slowly under
the earth’s crust and hardens into rocks. Gabbro and granite are examples of Regional Metamorphism
intrusive igneous rocks. Intrusive rocks are very hard in nature and are often  Pressure as main factor: occurs in areas that have undergone
coarse-grained. deformation during organic event resulting in mountain belts
2. Extrusive igneous rocks are formed when molten magma spill over to the  Occurs in regional /large scale
surface as a result of a volcanic eruption. The magma on the surface (lava)  Creates foliated metamorphic rocks such as schist and gneiss.
cools faster on the surface to form igneous rocks that are fine-grained.  Foliated metamorphic rocks means rock minerals are arranges in layers
Examples of such kind of rocks include pumice, basalt, or obsidian. and bands. Non-foliated rocks like marble also from thru regional
metamorphism, where pressure is not intense, far from the main geologic
B. Sedimentary Rocks event.
- formed by the deposition and subsequent cementation of that material at the Earth's
surface and within bodies of water
- Sedimentary rocks are formed by sediment that is deposited over time, usually as
layers
at the bottom of lakes and oceans.