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1 Minerals
1.1 Definition:
Mineral is a naturally occurring chemical compound, usually of crystalline form
and not produced by life processes. A mineral has one specific chemical
composition, whereas a rock can be an aggregate of different minerals or
mineraloids. The study of minerals is called mineralogy.
1.2 Classificaion:
Minerals are classified by variety, species, series and group, in order of increasing
generality. As of November 2018, there are more than 5,500 known mineral
species; 5,389 of these have been approved by the International Mineralogical
Association (IMA).
1.3 Description:
Minerals can be described by their various physical properties, which are related
to their chemical structure and composition. Common distinguishing
characteristics include crystal structure and habit, hardness, lustre, diaphaneity,
colour, streak, tenacity, cleavage, fracture, parting, specific gravity, magnetism,
taste or smell, radioactivity, and reaction to acid.
2 Nomenclature:
2.1 Classification:
Minerals are classified by variety, species, series and group, in order of increasing
generality. The basic level of definition is that of mineral species, each of which
is distinguished from the others by unique chemical and physical properties. For
example, quartz is defined by its formula, SiO2, and a specific crystalline structure
that distinguishes it from other minerals with the same chemical formula (termed
polymorphs). When there exists a range of composition between two minerals
species, a mineral series is defined. For example, the biotite series is represented
by variable amounts of the endmembers phlogopite, siderophyllite, annite, and
eastonite. In contrast, a mineral group is a grouping of mineral species with some
common chemical properties that share a crystal structure. The pyroxene group
has a common formula of XY(SiAl)2O6, where X and Y are both cations, with X
typically bigger than Y; the pyroxenes are single-chain silicates that crystallize in
either the orthorhombic or monoclinic crystal systems. Finally, a mineral variety
is a specific type of mineral species that differs by some physical characteristic,
such as colour or crystal habit. An example is amethyst, which is a purple variety
of quartz.