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Naica Mine, Chihuahua MexicoDiscovered in 2000, 300 ft below surface, minerals grow in hot groundwater ~135 F

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Brief History of Mineralogy

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• Mineral Definition

• Bonding

• 8 Most Abundant Elements

• Characteristic Physical Properties

Bonding

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Many minerals contain radicals, which are complex groups of atoms tightly bonded together. The silicate and carbonate radicals are particularly common in many minerals, such as quartz (SiO2) and calcite (CaCO3).

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graphic granite

Microcline

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Sanidine

Orthoclase

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Stability relations of theSiO2 Polymorphs