Download What is a mineral - group items

Original Author: Liz LaRosa
 “A mineral is a naturally occurring, inorganic solid,
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with a specific chemical composition and a definite
crystalline structure.” p. 86
The Earth’s crust contains more than 100 naturally
occurring elements.
Earth’s crust is composed of 3000 different minerals.
Minerals may be metallic, like gold, or nonmetallic,
like talc.
Most have to be compounds or there couldn’t be that
many.
 Solid
 Cannot be a liquid or a gas
 Naturally Occurring
 Found in nature, not man-made
 Inorganic
 Is not alive and never was, non-living
 Fixed composition
 Has a chemical formula, most are formed from compounds of two
or more elements, some minerals consist of one element ex. Au
 Crystal Form
 A definite structure in which atoms are arranged
A mineral is a naturally formed,
inorganic solid that has a
definite crystalline structure.
Quartz
Amphibole
Feldspar
Olivine
Mica
Garnet
Pyroxene
Calcite
 Is it non-living material?
 Is it a solid?
 Is it formed in nature?
 Does it have a crystalline structure?
Wood
Gold
Fossil
Topaz
Bones
Granite
Quartz
Pearls
Talc
Icebergs
Diamond
Coal
Rock Salt
 Minerals
 Non-Minerals
a) Gold
a) Wood - once living
b) Topaz
b) Fossils – once living
c) Quartz
c) Bone - living material
d) Talc
d) Granite - intrusive igneous rock
e) Iceberg*
e) Pearls – made by oysters
f)
Diamonds
Coal - Sedimentary rock
g) Rock Salt – Sedimentary rock
f)
According to IMA – ice is listed as a mineral