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Chapter 3 Minerals
Study Guide
1. What is true of minerals? They are formed in nature, they are inorganic, they have a
definite crystalline structure, and they are nonliving.
2. What must a silicate mineral contain? Silicon and oxygen
3. What is the color of the powder that a mineral leaves on a piece of white, unglazed
porcelain tile called? Streak
4. What do nonsilicate minerals include? Native elements
5. What are the groupings of silicate and nonsilicate minerals based on? Chemical
composition
6. In addition to reclamation, what is a good way to reduce the environmental effects of
mining? Recycle minerals products
7. Of the following, which is NOT a class of nonsilicate minerals: Oxides, micas, carbonates,
native elements? Micas
8. What is the name for nonmetallic minerals that are valued for their beauty and rarity
rather than their usefulness? Gemstones
9. What kinds of mines are open pit and quarry mines? Surface mines
10. Halides form when fluorine, chlorine, iodine, or bromine combine with what elements?
Calcium, potassium, or sodium
11. What is a mineral deposit that is large and pure enough to be mined? Ore
12. What is a fracture? Tendency of a mineral to break along a curved surface
13. What is a material’s resistance to being scratched? Hardness
14. What is cleavage? Tendency of some minerals to break along smooth, flat surfaces
15. What is a mineral? Naturally formed, inorganic solid with a definite crystalline structure
16. What is a natural mineral deposit that is large enough and pure enough to be mined for
profit? Ore
17. What is density? The ratio of mass to volume of a substance
18. What is luster? The way a surface reflects light
19. What is fluorescence? The special property that causes some minerals to glow under
ultraviolet light
20. What is the special property of calcite that causes a double image? Optical property
21. What is the special property that some minerals sow when they come in contact with
acids? Chemical reaction
22. What is the special property of some minerals to attract iron? Magnetism
23. What is the special property of some minerals that can be detected by a Geiger counter?
Radioactivity
24. What are pegmatites? Large, teardrop-shaped bodies of magma where many gemstones
can form
25. What are open pits, quarries, and some coal mines? Surface mines
26. What are nonmetallic minerals used for? Used to make concrete and glass products
27. What are metallic minerals used for? Used to make electronic equipment and aircraft
parts
28. What is formed by changes in pressure, temperature, or chemical makeup? Metamorphic
rocks
29. When identifying minerals, why is streak more reliable than color? A mineral’s streak is
not affected by air or water, but a mineral’s color may be affected by air or water.
30. How can mining harm the environment? Mining can destroy or disturb the habitats of
plants and animals and the waste products from a mine may get into water sources, which
pollutes surface water and groundwater.