MINERALS

Discussant: John Mark P. Matamorosa

 CLASS RULES
RULE 1 Listen quietly when others are speaking.
RULE 2 Raise your hand for permission to get up or speak.

RULE 3 Collaborate with others during group activities.

RULE 4 Always treat others with respect.
RULE 5 Believe in yourself.
 LEARNING OBJECTIVES
At the end of 60-minute interactive discussion, all of the
students are expected to:

identify and describe the different properties of minerals;

group the minerals based on chemical composition; and
identify several common rock-forming minerals.
 LET’S PLAY!
1-A 8-H 16-P 22-V
2-B 9-I
10-J
17-Q 23-W
3-C
11-K 18-R
4-D
12-L 19-S
24-X
5-E
6-F
13-M 20-T 25-Y
14-N
7-G
15-0
21-U 26-Z
16-8 -1+2 -6x-2 -3+12 10+10 10-5
H A L I T E
4+3 -2x-9 100-99 -16+32 -40/-5 5+4 -2x-10 6-1
G R AP H I T E
-7x-1 -35+50 48/4 -4+8
G O L D
 MINERALS
Naturally occurring, inorganic solid
with orderly crystalline structure and
a definite chemical composition.
Building blocks of rocks.
 Halite (salt) for cooking

gold and diamond for jewelry

graphite (pencil) for

Question:
Do you consider water a mineral?
Answer:

No, it is not solid and crystalline.

Question:
How about snowflake, or tube ice?
Are these minerals?
Answer:
Tube ice is not a mineral, because it is not
naturally occurring. But a snowflake
possesses all the properties under the
definition of a mineral.
1. Luster- the quality and intensity of
reflected light exhibited by the mineral
a. Metallic – generally opaque and exhibit a
resplendent shine similar to a polished metal
b. Non-metallic – vitreous (glassy), adamantine
(brilliant/diamond-like), resinous, silky,
pearly, dull
(earthy), greasy, etc.
2. Hardness – it is a measure of
the resistance of a mineral (not
specifically surface) to abrasion.
 3. Color and streak – Color maybe a unique
identifying property of certain minerals (e.g.
malachite –
green, azurite – blue). There are also lots of
minerals that share similar or the same color/s. In
addition, some minerals can exhibit a range of
colors. The mineral quartz for example, can be pink
(rose quartz), purple (amethyst), orange (citrine),
white (colorless quartz) etc.
 3. Color and streak – Color maybe a unique identifying
property of certain minerals (e.g. malachite –green,
azurite – blue). There are also lots of minerals that share
similar or the same color/s. In addition, some minerals
can exhibit a range of colors. The mineral quartz for
example, can be pink (rose quartz), purple (amethyst),
orange (citrine), white (colorless quartz) etc.
Streak on the other hand is the color of a mineral in
powdered form. Note that the color of a mineral could be
different from the streak. For example, pyrite (FeS2)
exhibits golden color (hence the other term of pyrite which
is Fool’s Gold) but has a black or dark gray streak. Streak
is a better diagnostic property as compared to color.
Streak is inherent to almost every mineral. Color maybe
unreliable for identification as impurities within the
minerals may give the minerals a different color.
4. Crystal Form/Habit –The external shape of a crystal or groups
of crystals is displayed / observed as these crystals grow in open
spaces. The form reflects the supposedly internal structure (of
atoms and ions) of the crystal (mineral). It is the natural shape of
the mineral before the development of any cleavage or fracture.
Examples include prismatic, tabular, bladed, platy, reniform and
equant. A mineral that do not have a crystal structure is
described as amorphous.
The crystal form also define the
relative growth of the crystal in 3
dimension which are its length,
width and height.
The crystal form also define the
relative growth of the crystal in 3
dimension which are its length,
width and height.
5. Cleavage – It is the property of some minerals to break along
parallel repetitive planes of weakness to form smooth, flat surfaces.
These planes of weakness are inherent in the bonding of atoms that
makes up the mineral. These planes of weakness are parallel to the
atomic planes and appear to be repeating within the mineral. When
minerals break evenly in more than one direction, cleavage is
described by the number of cleavage directions and the angle(s)
between planes (e.g. cleavage in 2 directions at 90 degrees to each
other).
Although both are dictated by crystal
structure, crystal habit forms as the mineral
is growing, therefore relies on how the
individual atoms in the crystal come together.
Cleavage on the other hand is the weak plane
that developed after the crystal is formed.
6. Fracture – Some minerals may not have
cleavages but exhibit broken surfaces that are
irregular and non-planar. Quartz for example has
an inherent weakness in the crystal structure that
is not planar. Examples of fracture are conchoidal,
fibrous, hackly, and uneven among others.
7. Specific Gravity – It is the ratio of the weight of a
mineral to the weight of an equal volume of water. A
bucket of silver (SG 10) would weigh 10 times more
than a bucket of water (SG 1). It is a measure to
express the density (mass per unit volume) of a
mineral. The specific gravity of a mineral is
numerically equal to density.
8. Others – There are certain unique properties of
minerals that actually help in their identification
(e.g. magnetism, odor, taste, tenacity, reaction to
acid, etc.). Magnetite is strongly magnetic; sulfur
has distinctive smell; halite is salty; calcite fizzes
with acid as with dolomite but in powdered form.
1. Silicates – minerals containing 2 of the most abundant
elements in the Earth’s crust, namely, silicon and oxygen. When
linked together, these two elements form the silicon oxygen
tetrahedron – the fundamental building block of silicate minerals.
Over 90% of the rock-forming minerals belong to this group. Aside
from Si (46.6 % by wt.) and O (27.7%), the other most common
elements that make the earth’s crust are Al (8.1), Fe (5.0), Ca
(3.6), Mg (3.1), Na (2.8) and K 2.6).
2. Oxides – minerals containing Oxygen anion
(O2-) combined with one or more metal ions.
3. Sulfates – minerals containing Sulfur and
Oxygen anion (SO4)- combined with other
ions
4. Sulfides – minerals containing sulfur anion
(S2)- combined with one or more ions. Some
sulfides are sources of economically
important metals such as copper, lead and
zinc.
5. Carbonates – minerals containing the
carbonate anion (CO3)2- combined with other
elements
6. Native Elements – minerals that form as individual
elements.
a. Metals and Inter-metals – minerals with high thermal
and electrical conductivity, typically with
metallic luster, low hardness (gold, lead)
b. Semi-metals – minerals that are more fragile than
metals and have lower conductivity (arsenic,
bismuth)
c. Nonmetals – nonconductive (sulfur, diamond)
7. Halides – minerals containing halogen
elements combined with one or more
elements
QUIZ TIME!

1. Which of the following is an example of a

mineral?
A. Water C. Snow flake
B. Tube ice D. Man- made sculpture
 QUIZ TIME!
2. How to find the specific gravity of a mineral?
A. Find the density of a mineral .
B. Find the length, width, and height of a mineral.
C. Weigh the mineral.
D. Find the mass of the mineral.
 QUIZ TIME!
3. Which of the following is TRUE about minerals?
A. All minerals have cleavages.
B. Cleavage forms before the formation of crystal
habit/form.
C. Color is more reliable than streak in determining the
impurities within the minerals.
D. Some minerals may have fractures instead of cleavages.
QUIZ TIME!
4. Which of the following classification of
minerals contained carbonate anion?
A. Oxides
B. Silicates
C. Sulfates
D. Carbonates
QUIZ TIME!
5. Is pearl a mineral?
A. No
B. Yes
C. Maybe
D. Not sure
QUIZ TIME!
6. Is diamond a mineral?
A. No
B. Yes
C. Maybe
D. Not sure
QUIZ TIME!
7. Is amber a mineral?
A. No
B. Yes
C. Maybe
D. Not sure
 QUIZ TIME!
8. Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of
a mineral?
A. Naturally occurring
B. Solid
C. Organic
D. Crystal Structure
QUIZ TIME!
9. The tenancy for a mineral to break along
flat surfaces
A. cleavage
B. silicate mineral
C. atom
D. compound
 QUIZ TIME!
10. Which of the following minerals are listed
from hardest to softest?
A. Talc - Quartz - Diamond
B. Diamond - Quartz - Talc
C. Quartz - Talc - Diamond
D. Talc - Diamond - Quartz
KEY TO CORRECTION
1. C 6. B
2. A 7. A
3. D 8. C
4. D 9. A
5. A 10. B
 ASSIGNMENT
Direction: Answer the following questions.
1. What are the characteristics that define a mineral?
2. Which among the following mineral groups, if any,
contain silicon: halides, carbonates or sulfides?
Explain.
3. Which is more abundant in the Earth’s crust:
silicates or all the other mineral groups combined?
Explain.
 ASSIGNMENT
Direction: Answer the following questions.
4. An unknown opaque mineral has a black streak and
has a density of 18g/cm3. Is the mineral metallic or non-
metallic?
5. What is the difference between a mineral's streak and
color? Why is streak more reliable for rock identification?
6. Differentiate habit and a cleavage plane.
ASSIGNMENT

Direction: Answer the following questions.

7. Is it possible for a mineral to have a

prismatic habit without having any cleavage?
Why or why not? If yes, give an example.
ASSIGNMENT
Direction: Answer the following questions.
1. What are the characteristics that define a
mineral?
Answer: inorganic, naturally occurring,
crystalline, solid and must have a consistent
chemical composition
 ASSIGNMENT
Direction: Answer the following questions.
2. Which among the following mineral groups, if any, contain silicon: halides,
carbonates or sulfides? Explain.
Answer: All of them do not contain silicon. First, halides are formed by the
bonding of halogen elements (Chlorine, Bromine, Iodine, Fluorine) with metal
cations. They lack silicon altogether. Next, the main building block of
carbonates is the carbonate ion (CO3² ⁻), consisting of carbon and oxygen
atoms. Silicon is not present in their structure. Lastly, similar to carbonates,
sulfides are built around the sulfide ion (S² ⁻) which combines with metal
cations. They don't contain silicon.
 ASSIGNMENT
Direction: Answer the following questions.
3. Which is more abundant in the Earth’s crust:
silicates or all the other mineral groups combined?
Explain.
Answer: Silicates. Silicon and oxygen are the main
components of silicates and these are the two most
abundant elements in the Earth’s crust.
 ASSIGNMENT
Direction: Answer the following questions.
4. An unknown opaque mineral has a black streak
and has a density of 18g/cm3. Is the mineral
metallic or non-metallic?
Answer: The mineral is more likely to be metallic
because it is opaque and metallic minerals are
usually heavy and with dark streaks.
 ASSIGNMENT
Direction: Answer the following questions.
5. What is the difference between a mineral's streak and
color? Why is streak more reliable for rock identification?
Answer: Streak is the color of a mineral in powdered
form. It is more reliable because it is inherent to most
minerals. Color is not reliable because mineral can be
formed with varieties of color, an effect of impurities and
weathering.
ASSIGNMENT
Direction: Answer the following questions.
6. Differentiate habit and a cleavage plane.
Answer: Habit is the external shape of a
crystal that is developed during the formation
of the mineral. Cleavage plane is a plane of
weakness that maybe formed in a crystal
after the crystal formation.
 ASSIGNMENT
Direction: Answer the following questions.
7. Is it possible for a mineral to have a prismatic habit without
having any cleavage? Why or why not? If yes, give an example.
Answer: Yes, the prismatic habit is simultaneously developed
while the mineral is growing. During the process, there is no
repetitive plane of weakness being created which makes the
mineral break only by fracturing. An example of this scenario
is quartz.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR
ACTIVE PARTICIPATION!