MINERALS

Definition
What is a Mineral?
A mineral is a naturally formed inorganic crystalline solid
with a definite chemical composition and identifying
physical properties
naturally formed
formed by geologic processes in nature, not by humans

inorganic
was never alive

crystalline solid
a solid composed of atoms arranged in a repeating orderly
framework

definite chemical composition

a homogeneous chemical compound with a chemical formula

distinctive, identifying physical properties

MINERAL
Adalah zat padat yang terbentuk secara
alami, memiliki komposisi kimia tertentu
dan bentuk (kristal) spesifik
Dalam perkembangannya, air dan minyak
bumi diklasifikasikan pula sebagai mineral
Dengan demikian, sumberdaya mineral
mencakup semua bahan tambang baik
padat maupun cair, dan air alami

Definition
Mineral is a naturally occurring inorganic element or
compound having orderly internal structure and
characteristic chemical composition, crystal form, and
physical properties

Pertanyaan:
Apakah lampu kristal tergolong mineral?
Bagaimana dengan tubuh kekurangan
mineral? Air mineral?

Definition
Mineral is a structurally homogeneous solid of definite
chemical composition, formed by the inorganic
processes of nature.

Whitten, DGA and Brooks, JRV. 1977. The Penguin Dictionary of

Geology. Middlesex: Penguin Books. p. 293.

Definition
This definition includes ice as a mineral, but excludes
coal, natural oil and gas. The only allowable exception
to the rule that a mineral must be solid is native
mercury (quicksilver), which is liquid.
Definite chemical composition is not synonymous with
fixed or constant composition, since many minerals
have compositions which are variable between certain
limits, which are defined in terms of end members: e.g.
the composition of the common olivines is expressible in
terms of the two compounds, Mg2SiO4 (forsterite) and
Fe2SiO4 (fayalite). The general rule is that minor
variations of composition which do not markedly alter
fundamental properties are discounted

Definition
Structurally homogeneous implies that the fundamental
atomic structure is continuous and constant through the
mineral unit, e.g. in silicates the silicon-oxygen lattice
will be constant in characters, although the interstitial
cations may vary in different parts of the lattice
Although strictly of organic origin, the constituents of
many limestones, siliceous rocks, and bedded
phosphate deposits are treated as though they were true
mineral species
Whitten, DGA and Brooks, JRV. 1977. The Penguin Dictionary of
Geology. Middlesex: Penguin Books. p. 293-294.

MINERAL

Mineral Classes
Silicate Mineral Group
Non-silicate Mineral
Group

Silicate Mineral Groups

Silicate minerals (silicates) are composed of silica tetrahedra (SiO4 4-)
For silica tetrahedra to be stable, they must either:
be balanced by positive ions,
share oxygens with adjacent silica tetrahedra, or
substitute one or more Al 3+ for Si 4+
Compositions of the silicates
Mafic composition
Is rich in magnesium, iron, and/or calcium
Intermediate composition
Is compositionally between mafic and felsic
Is rich in feldspar and/or silica (quartz)
Felsic composition

Is rich in feldspar and/or silica (quartz)

All the common rock-forming minerals are silicate mineral

Silicate Mineral Groups

The Silica Tetrahedron

(composed of 4 oxygen atoms surrounding 1 silicon atom)

Silicate Mineral Groups

Two
Illustrations
of the
SiO4
Tetrahedron

Silicate Mineral Groups

Single Island Silicates

(ex.: olivine)

Single Chain Silicates

(ex.: augite pyroxene)

Silicate Mineral Groups

Single Chain Silicates: The Pyroxenes (e.g., augite)

Silicate Mineral Groups

Double Chain Silicates: The Amphiboles

(e.g., hornblende)

SheetGroups
Silicates: The Micas
Silicate Mineral

(e.g., biotite, muscovite, and the clays)

Example:
Clay groups
Mica groups
Sheet silicate structure

Because of weak bonds,

mica splits asily between
sandwiches
Positive ions, sandwiches
between two sheets
silicate layers

(O)

(Ca)
(Na)

(Si)
(Al)
(Fe)

(K)
(Mg)

Silicate Mineral Groups

The Common Rock-Forming Silicate Minerals

Non-silicate Mineral Groups

Non-silicate Mineral Groups

Native Copper

How do minerals form?

By crystallization from magma (molten rock material)
a saturation response
By crystallization (precipitation) from aqueous fluids
a saturation response
By chemical reaction with
magmatic fluids
hydrothermal fluids
water during weathering
By solid state transformations (metamorphism)
changes crystal form
moves ions to new locations
promotes growth along the edges of mineral grains (crystals)
at the expense of their neighboring mineral grains

How do minerals form?

Crystallization of Minerals in Cavities: Geodes

How do minerals form?

The Effect of Crowding on Crystal Growth

How do minerals form?

Polymorphs
Polymorphs are minerals that have the same chemical
composition but a different crystal form
Graphite and diamond polymorphs of carbon
Graphite forms at low temperature and pressure
Diamond forms at high temperature and pressure
Quartz, stishovite, and coesite are polymorphs of SiO2
Quartz forms at low to medium temperature and pressure
stishovite and coesite form at high pressure, such as that
associated with meteor impacts
Andelusite, kyanite, and sillimanite are polymorphs of Al2SiO5
Andelusite is the low temperature low pressure polymorph
Kyanite is the low temperature high pressure polymorph
Sillimanite is the high temperature high pressure polymorph

How do minerals form?

Pseudomorphs
Pseudomorphs are minerals that have the same crystal form but
a different chemical composition
Limonite forms cubic pseudomorphs after pyrite
Quartz forms pseudomorphs after fluorite

Rock Forming Minerals

Minerals: identification

Identification of Minerals

Questions
How can you identify minerals?
How do geologists identify
minerals?

Identifying Physical Properties of Minerals

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.

Crystal form
Color
Streak
Luster
Cleavage
Fracture
Hardness
Tenacity
Specific gravity
Taste
Magnetism
Reaction with acid
Striations

CRYSTAL SYSTEM

Regular: halite, diamond, pyrite

Tetragonal: dolomite
Trigonal: calcite
Hexagonal: quartz
Orthorhombic: ortho pyroxene
Monoclinic: clyno pyroxene
Triclinic: plagioclase

Identifying Physical Properties of Minerals

1. Crystal form
Is a set of crystalline faces having a definite
geometric relationship to one another
Garnet

Quartz

Identifying Physical Properties of Minerals

2. Color
Is due to visible wavelengths of light not absorbed
Is the most obvious but least reliable property to use
for identification
Milky quartz
Citrine

Colors of ruby and sapphire,

varieties of corundum (Al2O3)

Amethyst

Smoky quartz

Colors of Varieties of Quartz

Identifying Physical Properties of Minerals

3. Streak
The color of a mineral in powder form

Figure 1.8

Identifying Physical Properties of Minerals

4. Luster
Is the intensity of light reflected from a surface

Pyrite

Potassium feldspar
Galena
Have a metallic luster

Has a nonmetallic luster

Identifying Physical Properties of Minerals

5. Cleavage
Is breakage along planes of weakness
Is due to weak bonding between those planes

Identifying Physical Properties of Minerals

Various Types of Cleavage

Identifying Physical Properties of Minerals

Pyramidal Cleavage Cubic Cleavage, and Rhombohedral Cleavage
Displayed by Fluorite, Halite, and Calcite

Fluorite

Halite
Calcite

Identifying Physical Properties of Minerals

Distinguishing between Cleavage Planes and Crystal Faces

Cleavage Planes:
Repeated like a series
of step or terraces

A crystal face:
A single surface
No repetitions of the
crystal face within
a crystal

Identifying Physical Properties of Minerals

6. Fracture

Is breakage in random directions

Is due to the absence of weak bonding between planes
Conchoidal fracture yields scalloped edges like in broken glass

Identifying Physical Properties of Minerals

7. Hardness
Is the resistance to scratching

Is based on the Mohs Scale

1 talc
2 gypsum
3 calcite
4 fluorite
5 apatite
6 potassium feldspar (orthoclase)
7 quartz
8 topaz
9 corundum
10 diamond

Identifying Physical Properties of Minerals

Mohs
Hardness
Scale

Identifying Physical Properties of Minerals

8. Tenacity
resistance to breaking or bending
9. Specific gravity: an expression of heaviness
density of a substance =
X g/cm3
SG
=
density of water
1 g/cm 3
10. Taste
Halite (rock salt) tastes salty
11. Magnetism
magnetite attracts a magnet

= X

Identifying Physical Properties of Minerals

12. Reaction with acid
minerals containing a CO3 ion fizz (release CO2) when
in contact with hydrochloric acid
2HCl + CaCO3 Ca2+ + 2Cl- + H2O + CO2
13. Reaction with acid Striations
Are saw-tooth lines present on crystal planes due to
lamellar twinning (repetition) of crystals on that plane
Striations are characteristic of plagioclase feldspar,
calcite, dolomite, galena, and sphalerite

Model of Silicates Structure