What is a Mineral Mrs Akin 6 th

What is a Mineral? Mrs. Akin 6 th Grade Earth Science

Properties of Minerals: ● 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 ● Formula ● Has a chemical formula, most are formed from compounds of two or more elements, some minerals consist of one element ex. Au ● Crystal Structure ● A definite structure in which atoms are arranged

Definition : A mineral is a naturally formed, inorganic solid that has a definite crystalline structure.

Mineral: Solid with definite chemical composition and orderly arrangement of atoms

Questions to ask yourself when determining if an item is a mineral or not: ● Is it non-living material? ● Is it a solid? ● Is it formed in nature? ● Does it have a crystalline structure?

The next few slides show an assortment of items. With the person sitting next to you categorize the items as either: Minerals or Non-Minerals

Wood

Gold

Fossil

Topaz

Bones

Granite

Quartz

Pearls

Talc

Icebergs

Diamond

Coal

Rock Salt

ta No l era n i M Wood

t is I ! s Ye a ! ral e Min Gold

ta No l era n i M Fossil

t is I ! s Ye a ! ral e Min Topaz

ta No l era n i M Bones

ta No l era n i M Granite

t is I ! s Ye a ! ral e Min Quartz

ta No l era n i M Pearls

t is I ! s Ye a ! ral e Min Talc

t is I ! s Ye a ! ral e Min Icebergs

t is I ! s Ye a ! ral e Min Diamond

ta No l era n i M Coal

ta No l era n i M Rock Salt

And the answers are… ● Minerals a) Gold Non-Minerals b) Topaz Wood - once living c) Quartz Fossils – once living d) Talc Bone - living material e) Iceberg* f) Diamonds Granite - intrusive igneous rock Pearls – made by oysters Coal - Sedimentary rock Sedimentary According to IMA – ice. Rock is listed. Salt as a – mineral rock

Minerals can be identified by physical properties: Color and Appearance Hardness The way it reflects light (Luster) The color of a mineral in powdered form (Streak) The way a mineral breaks (Cleavage and Fracture) Other Properties

Sample Testing for Mineral Identification

Identifying Minerals LAB