CH.

2 - MINERALS
MINERALS

Basic building block of rocks

>4,000 minerals identified
Mineral Definition (requirements):
1) Solid
2) Naturally Occurring
Mineral Definition
3) Inorganic – no biologic origin
4) Definite Chemical Composition
Ex: Halite =
Quartz =
Diamond =
Graphite =
Mineral Definition

5) Ordered Crystalline Structure

Ex: Halite (NaCl)
Ordered Crystalline Structure

Diamond = high pressure

- complex bonding of carbon
atoms
Graphite = low pressure
- carbon atoms bond in sheets
Mineral Definition

1. Solid
2. Naturally Occurring
3. Inorganic
4. Definite Chemical Composition
5. Ordered Crystalline Structure
Structure of Minerals

1) Atom – smallest building block

of an element
Composed of atomic particles
- protons (+), neutrons, and
electrons (-)
Periodic Table of the Elements
(p. 32)
Balanced Atoms
Atomic Number = number of
protons
- defines which element atom
belongs to
Atomic Mass = sum of protons &
neutrons
Balanced Atoms

Number of electrons = number of

protons
Rule:
1st energy level = 2 electrons max
All other energy levels = 8
electrons max
Balanced Atoms

Valence electrons = electrons in

outermost energy level
Atoms bond b/c they want full
outer shell of electrons
Types of Bonding

1) Ionic Bonding
Ion = atom with an electrical
charge (+) or (-)
- caused by losing or gaining
electrons
Ionic Bonding

Atoms bond b/c opposites attract

(like magnets)
Ex: Halite (NaCl)
Types of Bonding

2) Covalent Bonding
- outer energy levels overlap
- atoms share valence electrons
Ex: Oxygen (O2)
Structure of Minerals

2) Element – composed entirely of

same kind of atoms
- all atoms have same number of
___________
92 naturally occurring elements
Element

Some minerals are elements:

Ex:
Structure of Minerals

3) Compound – combination of
two or more elements
- characteristics are different than
individual elements
Ex: Halite NaCl
Compound

Most minerals are compounds:

Quartz =
Galena =
Hematite =
Chemical Composition of Crust

98.3% of crust composed of 8

elements (Figure 2.15)
Other 84 elements share 1.7% of
remaining crust
- includes gold, zinc, lead, carbon,
sulfur, silver, …
Mineral Groups

1) Silicate Group - 90% of all

minerals
Basic building block is the silica
tetrahedron SiO44-
Silica tetrahedron (SiO4 4-)

Negative charge bonds with

positive ions
Other abundant elements of crust
are positive ions (Ex: Mg)
Mineral Groups

2) Nonsilicate Group
Includes:
a) rock-forming minerals
Ex: calcite CaCO3
Nonsilicate Group

b) native elements
Ex: sulfur, copper, gold
c) Metal ores
Ex: galena (PbS)
magnetite (Fe3O4)
Rocks

Aggregate of minerals (mixture)

Some rx are impure quantities of
the same mineral
Ex: Limestone = calcite
(rock) (mineral)
Rocks

Most rx are composed of several

minerals
Ex: Granite = quartz, feldspar,
(rock) hornblende
3 groups of rocks

1)

2)

3)