MineralsMineralsChapter 3Chapter 3

What is a Mineral?What is a Mineral?

It is a solidIt is a solid Has a crystalline structureHas a crystalline structure It is inorganicIt is inorganic Formed in natureFormed in nature Has a definite chemical compositionHas a definite chemical composition

ElementsElements

Elements are pure substances that cannot be Elements are pure substances that cannot be broken down by chemical meansbroken down by chemical means

117+ elements117+ elements

AtomAtom

Smallest part of an elementSmallest part of an element Building block of the elementBuilding block of the element All materials are made up of 1 or more All materials are made up of 1 or more

elementselements

CompoundsCompounds

Substance made up of two or more elements Substance made up of two or more elements that have chemically combined or bonded that have chemically combined or bonded togethertogether

Example: Sodium Chloride (NaCl)Example: Sodium Chloride (NaCl)– 1 atom of Na, 1 atom of Cl1 atom of Na, 1 atom of Cl– Table saltTable salt

Crystalline StructureCrystalline Structure

Solid geometric forms of minerals that Solid geometric forms of minerals that contain a repeating pattern of atomscontain a repeating pattern of atoms

Types of MineralsTypes of Minerals

SilicatesSilicates– Contains combination of Silicon (Si) and Contains combination of Silicon (Si) and

Oxygen (O)Oxygen (O) NonsilicatesNonsilicates

– Can contain Silicon or Oxygen but not both Can contain Silicon or Oxygen but not both togethertogether

SilicatesSilicates

Make up 90% of the minerals in the Earth’s Make up 90% of the minerals in the Earth’s crustcrust

Contain Silicon and Oxygen as well as Contain Silicon and Oxygen as well as other elementsother elements

Example: FeldsparExample: Feldspar– SI, O, Al, K, Na and CaSI, O, Al, K, Na and Ca

NonsilicatesNonsilicates

Native ElementsNative Elements– Composed of only one elementComposed of only one element

CarbonatesCarbonates– Carbon and OxygenCarbon and Oxygen– Calcite CaCO3Calcite CaCO3

HalidesHalides– Fluorine, chlorine, iodine or bromine combine Fluorine, chlorine, iodine or bromine combine

with Sodium, potassium or calciumwith Sodium, potassium or calcium

NonsilicatesNonsilicates

OxidesOxides– Any element plus oxygenAny element plus oxygen– Magnetite = FeO Magnetite = FeO

SulfatesSulfates– Sulfur plus OxygenSulfur plus Oxygen

SulfidesSulfides– One or more elements except Oxygen plus One or more elements except Oxygen plus

SulfurSulfur