Minerals Mineral Groups
MineralsMineralGroups
2.2WhatareMinerals?5 characteristics of ALL MINERALS: 1. Naturally occurring (formed naturally) 2. Solid substance 3. Orderly crystalline structure (atoms and ions are
arranged in a repeating pattern) 4. Definite chemical composition (most are made up
of two or more elements) 5. Generally considered inorganic (non-living)
2.2HowdoMineralsForm?• FormnearlyeverywhereonEarth,underdifferent
condi:ons.ex.deepincrustormantleofEarthwithhightempsandpressure–silicates.
• Thereare4majorprocessesthroughwhichmineralsform:
1. Crystalliza:onfrommagma2. Precipita:on3. Pressureandtemperature4. Hydrothermalsolu:ons
2.2HowdoMineralsForm?1.Crystalliza:onfromMagma• Magma=moltenrock(formeddeepwithinEarth)• Whenmagmacools,elementscombineandminerals
form• Firstmineralsthatcrystallizeandusuallythosethat
havealotofiron,calciumandmagnesium.• Composi:onofmagmachangesasmineralsform:
sodium,potassiumandaluminumarethenmostcommoninminerals.
MineralsFormedasaResultofCrystalliza:onofMagma
2.2HowdoMineralsForm?2.Precipita:on• Waterinlakes,rivers,ponds,oceans,aswellaswater
underground,allcontainsdissolvedsubstances.• Whenwaterevaporates,someofthesesubstances
willreacttoformminerals.• Changesinwatertemperaturecanalsocause
dissolvedmaterialstoprecipitate.• Limestoneandcalciteareexamples.
2.2HowdoMineralsForm?3.PressureandTemperature• Whenexis:ngmineralsundergochangesinpressure
andtemperature,mineralscanform.• Highpressurecanmakeamineralrecrystallizetoforma
morecompactmineral.• Temperaturechangescanmakemineralsunstableand
newmineralswillform.• Talcandmuscoviteareexamples.
2.2HowdoMineralsForm?4.HydrothermalSolu:ons• Hydrothermalsolu:on:veryhotmixtureofwaterand
dissolvedsubstances.• Tempsbetween100-300degreesCelcius• Whenincontactwithexis:ngminerals,thesesolu:onsgo
throughchemicalreac:onstomakenewminerals.• Sulfurmineralsareexamples.
2.2MineralGroups
Mineralscanbeclassifiedintogroupsbasedontheircomposi:on.1. Silicates2. Carbonates3. Oxides4. Sulfates&Sulfides5. Halides6. Na:veElements
1.Silicates
• Silicon and oxygen combine to form a structure called the silicon-oxygen tetrahedron. This silicon-oxygen tetrahedron provides the framework of every silicate mineral.
2.Carbonates• Minerals that contain the elements carbon, oxygen,
and one or more other metallic elements
3.Oxides• Minerals that contain oxygen and one or more other
elements, which are usually metals
4.SulfatesandSulfides
• Minerals that contain the element sulfur
5.Halides• Minerals that contain a halogen ion plus
one or more other elements
6.Na:veElements
• Minerals that exist in relatively pure form