Minerals & the Rock Cycle

Gypsum crystals, Chihuahua, Mexico

Minerals
Elements and Compounds

What is a Mineral?

Mineral Families

Rocks

Besides jewels, why should

you care about minerals?

8. Faucets- copper, zinc,

chrome

10. Talcum
Powder- talc,
mica
14. Tiles- clay,
feldspar,
wollastonite or
talc, mineral
pigments

2. Toothpastefluorine, barite,
calcite,
(petrolium
products)

11. Dandruff Shampoocoal tar, lithium clays,

selenium, (petroleum
products)

12. Mirror- feldspar,

silica, and silver
1. Deodorant-aluminum &
petroleum

3. Drinking
Glasses- felspar,
silica, and soda ash
13. Faucets- iron,
nickel, chromium
9. Flower Pot- clays,
5. Makeup- clays,
metallic minerals for
mica, talc,
glaze
limestone,
petroleum
6.Plumbing- copper,
clay, petroleum products

4. Abrasive Cleaners- silica

or calcite

15. Toilet- Clays,

silica, copper, zinc,
borates

7. Rugs- limestone,
petroleum, selenium

 Minerals are the building blocks of rocks

hence, Earth.
More than 4,000 are known
Dozens of new minerals are discovered
annually

Rock: granite

K-feldspar
Quartz

Hornblende

What is a Mineral?
DEFINITION:
Naturally occurring
Solid
Definite chemical
composition
Ordered atomic
arrangement
Mostly inorganic

They can be formed by:

1) Solidification of melt
2) Precipitation from water or gas
3) Metabolism by organisms

The Atom

Elements, Isotopes, Ions

Atom
the smallest individual
particle that retains the
distinct chemical properties
of an element
Element
the most fundamental
substance into which matter
can be separated using
chemical means
Isotopes
Atoms with the same atomic
number but different mass
numbers (C, atomic # 6)
mass= protons + neutrons
Ions
Atoms or molecules where
electron # proton #, giving
it a net positive or
negative charge

A Single Atom of Carbon-12 (Schematic Diagram)

Crystalline Structure

Atoms in a mineral are specifically ordered.

A solid with disordered atoms is called a glass.

Crystalline structure is based on atomic patterns.

Crystal Lattice
Atoms in crystals ordered in 3-D.
Lattices are patterns that repeat in three dimensions.
This internal pattern controls most mineral properties.
Crystal shape.
Symmetry.

Fig. 3.a

Quartz crystal.

Scaffolding.

The grid of scaffolding is an analogy for a crystalline lattice.

Fig. 3.6a,b

Sulfur

A pattern in wallpaper.

Lead

Crystal structure of galena (PbS).

Crystal structures are repetitive, like the pattern in wallpaper.

Fig. 3.4a

The angle between corresponding faces

of a crystal is the same, regardless of the
specimen size or shape.

A small quartz
crystal.

A large quartz
crystal.
Constancy of angles between crystal faces.

Atomic Bonding

Crystal lattice atoms held in place by atomic bonds.

Force that holds atoms together, important in forming
compounds (2 or more elements)

Bond characteristics also govern mineral properties.

Models depict atoms, bonds, and lattices.

Ionic Bonding
Negative charged anion transfers electron to positive
charged cation to obtain full outer shell, creating bond
Opposites attract

Resulting ions bond to each other for charge balance

Table salt (sodium chloride), Halite
Cubic lattice
Moderate strength and hardness

Ionic Bonding

Cation

Anion

Covalent Bond
Electrons from different atoms shared, which creates a bond
Does NOT produce ions
Strongest of chemical bonds

Polymorphs
Minerals with the same chemical composition, but
different structure and/or bond type
Diamond and graphite are carbon polymorphs (C)
Diamond Strong covalent bonds; hardest mineral.
Graphite Weak van der Waals bonds; very soft mineral.

Diamond
Graphite

Crystal Growth
Crystals grow as atoms attach to mineral
surfaces.
Growth starts from a central seed crystal.
Growth expands outward as atoms accumulate.

Crystal Growth
Outward crystal growth fills available space.
Resulting crystal shape is governed by
surroundings.
Open space Good crystal faces grow.
Confined space No crystal faces.

Crystals grow by
Solidification from a melt.
Precipitation from solution.
Solid-state diffusion.

Animation:
Mineral Growth
Minerals grow outward from a central seed to fill the
available space; their shape is controlled by the shape of
their surroundings. After the animation is complete, click
and drag each crystal to reveal its individual shape.

Mineral Physical Properties

Common properties of
minerals are...
Crystal form
Crystal habit
Luster
Color
Streak
Hardness
Cleavage
Fracture
Specific gravity

Needle-like crystal habit

Mineral Physical Properties

Less common physical properties are...
Magnetism
Effervescence
Taste
Smell
Feel
Elasticity
Diaphaneity
Piezoelectricity
Magnetite crystals on a large magnet.
Pyroelectricity
Refractive index
Malleability
Ductility
Calcite effervesces with acid
Sectility

Color

Color is diagnostic for some minerals.

Olivine is olive green.
Azurite is always blue.

Some minerals may exhibit a broad color range.

Quartz (Clear, white, yellow, pink, purple, gray, etc).

Color varieties often reflect trace impurities.

Quartz Many colors

Malachite Always green

Luster
The way a mineral surface
scatters light

Some luster classifications:

Metallic
Vitreous (glassy)
Resinous
Pearly
Silky
Satiny
Earthy (dull)

Hardness
Scratching resistance of a mineral.
Hardness compared to the Mohs hardness scale:
Softest

1) Talc
2) Gypsum
3) Calcite
4) Fluorite
5) Apatite
6) Orthoclase
7) Quartz
8) Topaz
9) Corundum
10)Diamond
Hardest

Fingernail 2.5
Copper Penny 3.5
Glass - Steel 5.5
Steel File 6.5

Streak

Mineral color crushed on an unglazed porcelain plate.

Streak is often a useful diagnostic property.

Hematite Red-brown streak

Specific Gravity
Related to density (mass per volume)
Mineral weight over weight of equal water volume.
Specific gravity is heft How heavy it feels
Pyrite Heavy (SG 5.0)
Feldspar Light (SG 2.6)
Pyrite feels heavier than feldspar.
Potassium Feldspar

Pyrite

Crystal Habit

Crystal habit is the ideal shape of crystal faces.

Ideal faces require ideal growth conditions.
Many descriptive terms are used to characterize habit.

Cubes

Dodecahedra

Octahedra

Compound Forms

Blades

Rhombohedra

Hexagonal Prisms

Tetragonal Prisms

Fig. 3.8e

Bladed
crystal
(kyanite)

Fibrous crystal
(asbestos)

Crystal habit is the general shape of a crystal or cluster of crystals.

Diagnostic properties of minerals 3: Crystal habit.

Crystal Form

Minerals vary in crystal face development.

Euhedral Good crystal faces; grown in open cavity.
Anhedral No crystal faces; grown in tight space.
Subhedral Between the two.

Face development indicative of growth history (see

mineral growth animation)
Anhedral crystals common; euhedral less so.
Amethyst Geode

Crystal
face

Crystal
face

Euhedral quartz crystals have well developed crystal faces.

An example of euhedral crystals.

A single
anhedral
crystal.

The crystals in this rock (granite) are mostly anhedral.

Anhedral crystals formed by solidifying in a melt.

Cleavage

Tendency to break along planes of lattice weakness.

Cleavage produces flat, shiny surfaces.
Described by the number of planes and their angles.
Sometimes mistaken for crystal habit.
Cleavage is through going; often forms parallel steps.
Habit is only on external faces.

1, 2, 3, 4, and 6 cleavages possible.

Fig. 3.9g

Fluorite

Quartz

Crystal face (single surfaces).

Cleavage (repeated planes).

Mineral cleavage The difference between cleavage planes and crystal faces.

Fig. 3.9a

One direction (mica).

Mineral cleavage 1.

Fig. 3.9b,c

Two directions at
90 (feldspar).

Two directions at 90 (pyroxene).

Mineral cleavage 2.

Two directions at 60 (hornblende).

Fig. 3.9d,e

Three mutually perpendicular

directions (halite).

Mineral cleavage 3.

Three directions; one inclined

(calcite).

Fracture

Some minerals lack planes of lattice weakness.

Due to equal molecular bonds in all directions.
These minerals dont cleave; they exhibit fracture.

Example: Quartz displays conchoidal fracture.

Shaped like the inside of a clam shell.
Breaks along smooth, curved surfaces.
Produces extremely sharp edges.

Obsidian

Irregular fracture
(garnet)

Fractures in minerals without cleavage.

Conchoidal fracture
(quartz)

Fig. 3.8f,g

Less common physical properties

Effervescence:
Calcite reacts with HCL acid

Magnetism:
Magnetite is magnetic

Mineral Compositions
Only about 50 minerals are abundant.
98% of crustal mineral mass is from eight elements.

Most major minerals

Made up of Si and O

Mineral Classes

Minerals are classified based upon the dominant anion.

Silicates
Oxides
Sulfides
Sulfates
Halides
Carbonates
Native elements

Malachite (Carbonate)

SiO44O2SSO42Cl- or FCO32Cu, Au, C

Fluorite (Halide)

Rock-forming minerals
Magnetite, Hematite
Pyrite, Galena
Gypsum
Fluorite, Halite
Calcite, Dolomite
Copper, Gold, Graphite
Native Copper

Silicate Minerals
Silicates are the rock-forming minerals.
dominate Earths crust.

Oxygen and silicon

Make up 94.7% of crustal volume, and...
74.3% of crustal mass.

Silicate Minerals
The anionic unit is the silica tetrahedron.
4 oxygen atoms are bonded to 1 silicon atom (SiO44-).
Silicon is tiny; oxygen is huge.
The silica tetrahedron has a net -4 ionic charge.
The silicate unit can be depicted by

Spheres.
A ball-and-stick model.
Polyhedra.

Silicate Minerals

Silica tetrahedra link together by sharing oxygens.

More shared oxygen = higher Si:O ratio; governs
Melting temperature (more shared = lower T)
Mineral structure and cations present
Susceptibility to weathering (more shared = more stable)

Type of Silicate Structure

Formula

Si:O Ratio

Independent Tetrahedra

SiO4

0.25

Double Tetrahedra

Si2O7

0.29

Ring Silicates

Si6O18

0.33

Single Chains

SiO3

0.33

Double Chains

Si4O11

0.36

Sheet Silicates

Si2O5

0.40

Framework Silicates

SiO2

0.50

Isolated/Independent Tetrahedra
Silica tetrahedra share no
oxygens
Linked by cations

Independent Tetrahedra

Olivine group
High-temperature Fe-Mg silicate
Small green crystals; no cleavage.

Garnet group
Equant crystals with no cleavage.
Dodecahedral (12-sided) crystals.

Olivine
Garnet

Kyanite

Single-Chain Silicates

Single-chain structures bonded with Fe and Mg

Pyroxene Group
2 oxygens shared
Two cleavages at ~90
Black-to-green color

Pyroxene

Double-Chain Silicates

Double chain of silica tetrahedra bonded together,

2 or 3 shared oxygens
Contain a variety of cations.

Amphibole group - two perfect

cleavages; elongate crystals.

Hornblende

Sheet Silicates

Two dimensional sheets of linked tetrahedra, 3 shared

oxygens
One direction of perfect cleavage.
Mica group Biotite (dark) and Mucsovite (light).
Clay mineral group Feldspar-weathering residue; tiny.

2D sheet
Mg-Fe layer
2D sheet

weak potassium layer

2D sheet

Mg-Fe layer
2D sheet

Framework Silicates

All four oxygens in the silica tetrahedra are shared.

Feldspar group Plagioclase and potassium feldspar.
Silica (Quartz) group Contains only Si and O.

Potassium Feldspar

Pyroxene
(single chain)

Amphibole
(double chain)

Olivine
(isolated tetrahedra)

Quartz (3-D network)

Mica (2-D sheet)

Arrangements of the silicon-oxygen tetrahedron, in silicate minerals.

Gems

Minerals with special value.

Rarity.
Beauty.

Color.
Interaction with light.

Dispersion.
High refractive index.

Aquamarine Beryl

Watermelon Tourmaline

Fig. 3.AV

Sapphires come in many colors and cuts.

Gems

Gems are cut and polished to be used in jewelry.

Facets are ground onto a gemstone by a machine.
Facets are not natural crystal faces.

Diamonds

Diamonds originate under extremely high pressure.

~ 150 km deep (upper mantle).
Pure carbon is compressed into the diamond structure.

Diamonds are not forever!

Rocks

Rocks are earth materials made from minerals.

Most rocks contain more than one kind of mineral.

Example: Granite
K-feldspar Pink.
Quartz Gray.
Hornblende Black.

Some are monomineralic.

Limestone (Calcite)
Rock salt (Halite)
Glacial ice.

Rock types

Igneous
Formed from cooling of melted rock
Sedimentary
Deposits of the erosional products from preexisting rocks
Metamorphic
Increased pressure and/or temperature changes the chemistry
and physical properties of preexisting rocks