Minerals

Rock is made up of one or more naturally occuring non-living materials called minerals.

Metals are the most useful of minerals. They are used in cars, appliances, and many household items.

Minerals are key to your health. In order to survive you body needs over 20 kinds of elements found in minerals. These are found in foods that we eat.

Example - Diamonds

• hardest of all minerals
• non-metal that can be heated to high temps without melting or breaking

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• drill bits and other tools
• surgical scalpels
• dental drills
• computer parts
• record player needles

Most minerals are quite rare. They can be an element (one subtance) or a compound (more than one)

Many minerals have the same appearance, so tests have been developed to distinguish one mineral from each other. It tests the properties of the mineral.

Hardness

Determined by how difficult the mineral is to scratch. You can test by scratching with your fingernail, penny, paper clip or piece of glass.

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Crystal Structure

Minerals are made up of crystals which are small pieces of a solid. They occur naturally and have straight edges, flat sides and regular angles.

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Lustre

The way the light relects off the mineral's surface.
Glassy, pearly, metallic and dull are the 4 categories.

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Colour

Colour can be a clue to a mineral's identity, but not all minerals are the same colour all of the time.

Streak

When a mineral is dragged across a piece of unglazed porcelain, it leaves a streak. The streak is the colour of the powdered form of the mineral.

Magnetism

Only some minerals are attracted to a magnet. We can also use a paper clip to test magnetism.

Cleavage

The ability to split easily or to separate along smooth, flat surfaces.

Fracture

If a mineral breaks unevenly, it has the property of a fracture.