Lecture 1 - Physical Properties of Minerals2
Lecture 1 - Physical Properties of Minerals2
minerals
Brave Manda
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Rocks
Rocks are defined as collections or aggregates of a mineral.
Most rocks have more than one kind of mineral i.e. they are
polymineralic e.g. granite.
Rocks
Some rocks are monomineralic i.e. contain one
mineral only
Limestone (Calcite)
Rock salt (Halite)
Minerals
A mineral is a naturally - occurring,
homogenous, solid, and generally
inorganic substance, with a definite
chemical composition and an ordered
atomic arrangement.
Each of the six parts of the definition
is important and necessary to
understand a mineral.
Quartz (SiO2)
Minerals
Homogenous: means something that is the same through
Cannot be broken into simpler components
Thus, rocks such as granite or basalt are not minerals because they
contain more than one compound
Naturally occurring: minerals are the result of natural geological processes
Thus, synthetic minerals e.g. industrial diamonds are not minerals
Solid: minerals must be able to maintain a set shape nearly indefinitely
Liquids are not minerals.
Minerals
Definite chemical composition: means that atoms or groups of atoms must occur in
specific ratios e.g. quartz (SiO2)
For ionic crystals (i.e. most minerals) ratios of cations to anions will be constrained
by charge balance, however, atoms of similar charge and ionic radius may substitute
freely for one another; hence definite but not fixed e.g. Mg+2 and Fe+2
Ordered atomic arrangement: means crystalline
Minerals have a fixed atomic pattern that repeats itself over a large region relative
to the size of atoms
Glasses such as obsidian, which are disordered solids, liquids (e.g. water, mercury),
and gases (e.g. air) are not minerals
Minerals
Glass: no organized molecular structure
Streak plates showing a black pyrite Hematite (Fe2O3) can have various Colours,
streak (top) and a yellow gold streak but its streak is always Reddish brown
(bottom)
Shape / Habit
External expression of the orderly
internal arrangement of atoms
Habit may help in identifying a mineral
if all faces are developed.
When the faces are well-developed due
to uncrowded growth a crystal is called
a euhedral, one with partially
developed faces is a subhedral, and
one with undeveloped crystal faces is
called anhedral
Hardness
The measure of a mineral to resist
scratching,
Minerals can also be identified by
comparing their relative hardness
If a substance is able to scratch
another substance, it is harder
Represents the strength of bonds in
the crystal lattice
Measured on a qualitative scale called Testing mineral hardness. The harder
Mineral (quartz) scratches the softer one
Mohs Hardness Scale
(calcite)
Mohs Hardness Scale
Cleavage and Fracture
Cleavage and fracture are used to describe the way a mineral breaks.
Cleavage - Tendency of minerals to break along smooth, flat surfaces
and every fragment has the same general shape. Following planes with
weaker bonds in the mineral structure.
Fracture - Tendency of minerals to break at random with rough or
jagged edges. Minerals with equally strong bonds throughout their
structure will fracture due to the absence of weaker zones.
Mineral fractures can be: irregular, conchoidal, or fibrous.
Tenacity
The term tenacity refers to a mineral’s resistance to breaking or
deforming.
Minerals that are ionically bonded such as fluorite and halite, tend to
be brittle and shatter into smaller pieces when struck.
By contrast, minerals with metallic bonds such as native copper are
malleable and can easily be hammered into different shapes.
Tenacity
Tenacity is divided into four classes namely
Brittle - Minerals that are ionically bonded such as fluorite and
halite, tend to be brittle and shatter into smaller pieces when struck.
Malleable - By contrast, minerals with metallic bonds such as
native copper are malleable and can easily be hammered into
different shapes
Sectile - Minerals including gypsum and talc that can be cut into
thin shavings are described as Sectile.
Elastic - Other minerals are Elastic and will bend and snap back to
their original shape after stress is released eg Mica.
Density and specific gravity
Density is a measure of the mass of a substance per unit
measure. For example, the density of a one-inch cube of iron
is much greater than the density of a one-inch cube of cotton.
In most cases, denser objects are also heavier.
As a rule, non-metallic minerals have low densities while
metallic minerals have high densities
Specific Gravity is the ratio of the weight of a mineral to the
weight of an equal volume of water. The average value is
approximately 2.7.
Other Properties
Magnetic: Magnetite (Fe3O4)
Reaction to hydrochloric acid: Calcite (CaCO 3); Dolomite
[Ca(Mg)CO3] will fizz slowly when in powered form.
Taste: Salty taste - Halite (NaCl)
Smell: Sphalerite (Zinc sulfide) has a “rotten egg” odour;
Kaolin will smell earthy when wet (as will other clays)
Conclusion
1. Why is color not always a useful property in mineral
identification? Give an example of a mineral that supports
your answer
2. What do we mean when we refer to a mineral’s tenacity?
List three types of tenacity
3. What differentiates cleavage from fracture
4. What simple chemical test is useful in the identification of
the mineral calcite