PROPERTIES OF
MINERALS AND
ROCKS
Identify common rock-forming
minerals using their physical and
chemical properties.
1. Demonstrate understanding about physical and
chemical properties of minerals.
2. Identifying the physical and chemical properties of the
common rock-forming minerals.
3. Recognize the importance and use of the common
minerals.
What we need:
MINERALS
Graphite and diamond are two of the most interesting minerals. They are
identical chemically – both are composed of carbon (C), but physically, they
are very different.
hardest mineral soft
transparent to light gray
does not conduct electricity conduct electricity
[Link] [Link]
2
2
COVALENT BOND 3 C 3
1 4
C
TETRAHEDRAL
1 4
VAN DER WAALS
FORCES
COVALENT BOND
Diamond and graphite – polymorphs of carbon
Structure of minerals
• Polymorphs
• Minerals with the
same composition
but different
crystalline structures
• Examples include
diamond and
graphite
Clearly the properties of diamond and graphite are very
different but they are composed of exactly the same kinds
of atoms! And it is all due to how the carbon atoms are
arranged!
Mineral properties are due to
the internal arrangement of
its atoms.
Basic Facts
Granite (Rock)
Granite (Rock)
Granite (Rock)
Granite (Rock)
Granite (Rock)
Granite (Rock)
Hornblende
Granite (Rock)
Granite (Rock)
Quartz (Mineral) Feldspar (Mineral)
Hornblende (Mineral)
What is the difference between
minerals and rocks? Granite (Rock)
Quartz (Mineral) Feldspar (Mineral)
Hornblende (Mineral)
Most rocks are aggregates of two or more minerals.
Shown here is a hand sample of the igneous rock granite
and three of its major constituent minerals. Granite
(Rock)
Quartz Hornblende Feldspar
(Mineral) (Mineral) (Mineral)
Rocks are made
up of minerals.
Minerals are the
building blocks of
rocks.
But what makes
up the minerals?
Atoms of the naturally occurring elements are
the basic building blocks of Earth’s minerals.
MINERAL
HALITE
Atoms of the naturally occurring elements are
the basic building blocks of Earth’s minerals.
MINERAL
HALITE
Atoms of the naturally occurring elements are
the basic building blocks of Earth’s minerals.
NaCl
A few minerals, such as native copper, diamonds, and gold, are
made entirely of atoms of only one element.
Elements combine to form
Minerals
Minerals combine to form
Rocks
Rocks Minerals Elements
MINERALS
➢A mineral is the same all the way through.
That is one reason we speak of a sample or
a specimen rather than a rock.
➢There are about 5,400 known minerals on
earth.
Geologists define mineral as an inorganic naturally
occurring solid that has a definite chemical
composition and ordered internal structure.
What is a Mineral?
A mineral:
◆ is naturally occurring
◆ inorganic crystalline
◆ solid
◆ has an ordered internal structure
◆ has a definite chemical composition
Is it a mineral or not?
Is a synthetic diamond a mineral?
NO.
Because it’s not naturally occurring.
Is steel a mineral?
NO.
Because it’s not naturally
occurring.
Steel is not a mineral because
it is an alloy produced by people.
"Inorganic" means that the
substance is not made by an
organism.
Is coal a mineral?
NO.
Because it is formed from remains of
plants and other organic compounds.
It is formed from…..
Is petroleum a mineral?
No
It’s not solid!!
All gases and liquids are not
considered as minerals.
Is glacier a mineral?
YES!
A Glacier is considered as mineral, but water is
not!!
Glacier is naturally formed, is solid, does have a
definite chemical composition that can be expressed
by the formula H2O, and does have a definite
crystalline structure when solid.
Is volcanic glass a mineral?
No
It is amorphous and has no form. It is a
MINERALOID.
Minerals has an ordered an
ordered internal (atomic)
structure
Mineraloids
• Fulfill all the requirements but do not have an
ordered internal structure.
Physical
Properties
of Minerals
A mineral’s internal structure and chemical composition are
difficult to determine without the aid of sophisticated tests and
equipment, the more easily recognized physical properties are
frequently used in identification.
Physical Properties of Minerals
Characteristics used in the identification
& study of minerals.
These are the most common
characteristics used when describing
minerals.
Physical Properties of Minerals
✓ Color Optical
✓ Streak Properties
✓ Luster
✓ Tenacity
✓ Hardness
Minerals
✓ Cleavage/Fracture
Strength
✓ Crystal Shape or
Habit
✓ Specific Gravity
✓ Other Properties
Physical Properties of Minerals
1. Color
Least useful property in identifying
minerals.
Why?
All of these are varieties of quartz!
All of these are varieties of quartz!
All of these are varieties of quartz!
crystal quartz (colorless)
citrine (yellow quartz)
smoky quartz (gray to black)
amethyst (purple quartz)
All of these are varieties of quartz!
Color of a mineral may be useful for determining any
impurities that are present in the mineral
For example – Rose quartz has iron impurities; green
quartz has chlorite impurities
2. Streak
Streak is usually less variable than color.
Streak can be VERY different from color!
3. Luster
How the minerals surface reflects light.
Metallic vs. non- metallic.
Galena develop a dull coating or
tarnish when exposed to the
atmosphere.
[Link]
• The term tenacity describes a mineral’s toughness, or its
resistance to breaking or deforming.
• fluorite and halite, tend to be brittle and shatter into small
pieces when struck
• native copper, are malleable, or easily hammered into different
shapes
Tenacity
• Minerals, including gypsum and talc, that can be
cut into thin shavings are described as sectile
• Notably the micas, are elastic and will bend and
snap back to their original shape after the stress is
released.
4. Hardness
The ability of a mineral to resist being scratched.
“Scratch test”
• If mineral A can scratch mineral B, what does that tell
us about the relative hardness of each mineral?
Mohs scale
of
Hardness
Moh’s scale relates the
hardness of minerals with
some common objects, such
as fingernails, copper pennies,
a steel knife blade, and glass.
Orthoclase feldspar (6) is
used as a whitener agent in
toothpaste, while tooth
enamel is comprised of the
mineral apatite (5)
5. Fracture/ Cleavage
Fracture Cleavage
This describes how a The tendency of a
mineral breaks if it is not mineral to break
along well-defined (cleave) along planes of
planes. weak bonding.
5. Fracture/ Cleavage
Fracture Cleavage
Absence of cleavage The tendency of a
when a mineral is mineral to break
broken (cleave) along planes of
weak bonding.
Fracture Cleavage
This describes how a The tendency of a
mineral breaks if it is not mineral to break
along well defined (cleave) along planes of
planes weak bonding.
Cleavage
The tendency of a
mineral to break
(cleave) along
planes of weak
bonding.
The simplest type of
cleavage is exhibited
by the micas these
minerals have very
weak bonds in one
direction, they cleave
to form thin, flat
sheets.
Fracture
Words that describe what a break in a rock or mineral looks like:
•conchoidal ~ curved break like what happens with thick glass
or bottle bottom, shell shaped,
can be rough or smooth
•jagged ~ metals, sharp point that scratches or snags fingertips,
hackly
•splintery ~ fibrous
•uneven ~ rough surface, not smooth
conchoidal uneven
jagged splintery
Rhombohedral Cleavage in Calcite
Common
cleavage
directions
Fluorite, halite, and calcite all exhibit perfect cleavage
CLEAVAGE IN CLEAVAGE IN
4 DIRECTIONS 3 DIRECTIONS
(but not 90˚)
CLEAVAGE IN
3 DIRECTIONS
6. Crystal Form or Habit
Some minerals tend to form crystals that aid in the identification of
the mineral.
6. Crystal Form or Habit
Although most minerals exhibit only one common crystal shape,
some, such as pyrite, have two or more characteristic habits.
Crystal Forms:
Quartz Feldspar Intergrown cubic
crystals of fluorite
7. (Density) Specific Gravity
The ratio of the density of the mineral to the density of water (1 g/cm3)
If a mineral has a specific gravity of 5 that means it is 5 times as dense as
water.
Density and Specific Gravity
• Density - Defined as the mass divided by the volume.
• Specific Gravity - Ratio of the mass of a substance to the mass of
an equal volume of water. Note that Dwater = 1 g/cm3. S.G. is
unitless.
• Examples - quartz (SiO2) has a S.G. of 2.65 while galena (PbS)
has a S.G. of 7.5 and gold (Au) has a S.G. of 19.3.
8. Other Properties
• Magnetism - Magnetite (Fe3O4) has this property and it can be used to
distinguish it from other non-magnetite iron oxides, such as hematite
(Fe2O3).
• Double Refraction - Seen in calcite crystals. Light is split or refracted into
two components giving rise to two distinct images.
• Taste/Smell – Halite has a salty taste; Sulfur smells of rotten eggs
• Reactions with acid – Calcite fizzes on reaction with acid
• Acid test – Calcite
• Magnets – Magnetite
• Taste - Halite
Physical Properties of Minerals
✓ Color Optical
✓ Streak Properties
✓ Luster
✓ Tenacity
✓ Hardness
Minerals
✓ Cleavage/Fracture
Strength
✓ Crystal Shape or
Habit
✓ Specific Gravity
✓ Other Properties
Chemical Properties of Minerals
Chemical Properties of Minerals
▪ All minerals have a certain arrangement of
elements in their crystal structure. They can be
represented by a chemical formula, which presents
the proportions of atoms that constitute them. For
example, the mineral quartz has a chemical
formula SiO2
Chemical Properties of Minerals
▪ The chemical properties of minerals depend on
their chemical formula and crystal structure.
Solubility and melting point are chemical
properties commonly used to describe a mineral.
Chemical Properties of Minerals
• Solubility refers the ability of a substance to dissolve in a
solvent at a specified temperature. For example, biotite,
a mineral commonly found in igneous rocks, is soluble in
both acid and base solutions. The dissolution releases
the loosely bound potassium ions in the mineral.
Chemical Properties of Minerals
• Melting point refers to the temperature at
which solid turns into liquid. Minerals
composed of atoms that are tightly bonded
within the crystal structure have high melting
points. For example, quartz melts above
1670°C.
COMMON ROCK FORMING MINERALS
• Rock-forming minerals make up large masses of rocks, such as
igneous, sedimentary, or metamorphic rocks. Rock-forming
minerals are essential for the classification of rocks, whereas
accessory minerals can be ignored in this endeavor.
• Almost 85% of the atoms in the earth’s crust are oxygen and
silicon. Therefore, the most common and abundant rock-forming
minerals are silicates. Some carbonates are also abundant.
• The most common rock-forming minerals are quartz, feldspar,
mica, pyroxene, amphibole, and olivine. All of the following
silicate minerals, except for quartz, are mineral groups.
COMMON PROPERTIES OF MINERAL CHART
The manner on which the mineral breaks
depending on its molecular bond and structure.
• crystal structure
• cleavage
• luster
• streak
What type of nonmetallic luster is shown on
the picture?
• earthy
• vitreous
• resinous
• pearly
It is the color of the mineral in powdered
form.
• streak
• density
• luster
• hardness
The measure of the density of a mineral.
• color
• streak
• hardness
• specific gravity
What is type of cleavage is shown in the
mineral Mica?
• cleavage in four direction
• cleavage in three direction
• cleavage in two direction
• cleavage in one direction
The measurement of strength of the
chemical bond in the mineral's structure.
• luster
• density
• hardness
• fracture
What is this mineral's type of cleavage
direction?
• cleavage in one directions
• cleavage in two directions
• cleavage in three directions
• cleavage in four directions
How do we identify a calcite?
• Water
• Sauce
• hydrochloric acid
• soy sauce
Which is of the following is not a mineraloid?
• Gold
• Pearl
• Obsidian
• Opal
What is the least useful property to identify a
mineral?
• Luster
• Hardness
• Color
• composition
Earth’s crust and oceans are the source of a wide variety of
useful and essential minerals.
Minerals are classified by their
chemical composition and
internal crystal structure.
Mineral Groups
• Nearly 5,400 minerals have been named
• Rock-forming minerals
• Common minerals that make up most of the rocks of
Earth’s crust
• Only a few dozen members composed mainly of the 8
elements that make up over 98% of the continental crust
Elemental abundances in continental crust
Mineral Groups
Minerals are classified by their chemical composition and
internal crystal structure.
There are 2 Major Mineral Groups:
◆ Silicates and Non Silicates
121
Table of Contents
Silicates (SiO2)
NonSilicates
CLASSIFICATION OF MINERALS
•Minerals are classified into four
types namely: Siliceous Minerals,
Non-metallic minerals, metal ore
minerals, and gem minerals.
IMPORTANCE OF MINERALS
•Indeed the minerals play vital role in our lives and
as much as the economy of our country is
concerned, we should be aware on how to
conserve and preserve the richness of our natural
resources. The mineral deposits are further
classified into two: Metallic and Non-Metallic
minerals.
CREATING AN INFOGRAPHIC
Your INFOGRAPHIC must have the following.
Mineral name
Mineral image
Location in the Philippines on which they are found
Characteristics
Economical Uses
Mineral group and Chemical formula (composition)
Different minerals assigned for each group.
Group 1- quartz
Group 2- gypsum
Group 3- feldspar
Group 4- calcite
Group 5- sulfur
ASSIGN A LEADER, DATA AND RESOURCE
MANAGER, PRESENTER
• EVALUATE THE OTHER GROUPS
THE NEED T0 GROUP 1
BREED!!
GROUP 5 GROUP 2
Make
Reproductive
Stations
GROUP 4 GROUP 3
REMINDER:
• Present your output in the following • Presentation of the Infographic
order: • Time allotted for the activity :40minutes
• Presentation: 25 minutes (5 minutes
• Infographic Presentation each group)
• Members and tasks • Evaluation: 10
• Reproductive Stations • Evaluation and Elaboration: 10 minutes
• Evaluation of the other group
DIVISION ONLINE TRAINING FOR TEACHERS ON CRITICAL CONTENT
IN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL - SCIENCE
1. Which of the following is not a characteristic of a
mineral?
A. crystal structure
B. naturally occurring
C. organic
D. solid
2. Hank together with his colleagues, is in search for a
mineral that is typically black in color. Its crystal form is
short and thick, with two cleavages that are nearly at a
right angle. What rock-forming minerals are they looking
for?
A. olivine
B. amphibole
C. pyroxene
D. quartz
3. Using the geologic definition of mineral as your
guide, determine which of the choices is not a
mineral.
A. glacial ice
B. obsidian
C. quartz
D. ruby
4. What property of mineral observes how the
mineral breaks into thin sheets depending on its
molecular bond and structure?
A. Cleavage
B. Color
C. Specific gravity
D. Solubility
5. Pyrite, commonly called fool’s gold, is a yellowish
mineral that looks like gold. What is the property of
mineral displayed by pyrite wherein it reflects light
and with a metallic look?
A. Color
B. Hardness
C. Luster
D. Streak
ROCKS
•Classify rocks into igneous, sedimentary, and
metamorphic (S11/12ES-Ic-6 )
• Petrology is the science that deals with the study of the
formation, composition, and classification of rocks.
• Rocks are mostly found in oceanic crust and on
continental crust in which humans can directly access.
Rocks
• Rocks are any solid mass of mineral or mineral-like matter
occurring naturally as part of our planet. Rocks are
naturally-occurring consolidated substances, which may be
made up of minerals, other rock pieces, and fossil
materials, such as shells or plants.
• Rocks can be studied and differentiated between by
grouping together those types that share a similar
appearance, similar composition, and the same process of
formation.
How are rocks classified?
▪ Rocks are classified according to how they are formed. From
the diagram above, we can see that:
1. Igneous rocks are formed by the cooling or solidification of
magma or lava.
2. Metamorphic rocks are formed by pre-existing rocks that are
exposed to extreme heat and pressure in the Earth’s interior,
a process called metamorphism.
3. Sedimentary rocks are formed by the compaction and
cementation of sediments, a process called lithification.
Also, we can see that one type of rock can be transformed into
another type depending on the process that it goes through.
EARTH AS A SYSTEM:THE ROCK CYCLE
▪ Earth as a system is illustrated most vividly when we examine
the rock cycle. The rock cycle allows us to see many of the
interactions among the many components and processes of
the Earth system (Figure 2.1).
▪ It helps us understand the origins of igneous, sedimentary,
and metamorphic rocks and how these rocks are connected. In
addition, the rock cycle demonstrates that any rock type, given
the right sequence of events, can be transformed into any
other type.
Igneous Rocks: “Formed by Fire”
▪ igneous rocks form as magma or lava cools and crystallizes.
Magma is most often generated by melting of rocks in Earth’s
mantle, although some magma originates from the melting of
crustal rock. Once formed, a magma body buoyantly rises
toward the surface because it is less dense than the
surrounding rocks.
Igneous Rocks: “Formed by Fire”
▪ Igneous Rocks, rocks that are formed from the solidification of
molten rock material (magma or lava). Molten rock material
can solidify below the surface of the earth (plutonic igneous
rocks) or at the surface of the Earth (volcanic igneous rocks).
▪ Minerals are formed during the crystallization of the magma.
Note that the rate of cooling is one of the most important
factors that control crystal size and the texture of the rock in
general.
Igneous Compositions
▪ Igneous rocks are composed mainly of silicate minerals.
Chemical analysis shows that silicon and oxygen—usually
expressed as the silica (SiO2 ) content of a magma—are by far
the most abundant constituents of igneous rocks.
Igneous Compositions
▪ Igneous rocks are also classified according to silica content:
felsic, intermediate, mafic and ultramafic
▪ felsic: also called granitic; >65% silica, generally light-colored
▪ intermediate: also called andesitic; 55-65% silica; generally
medium colored (medium gray)
• mafic: also called basaltic; 45-55% silica; generally dark colored
• ultramafic: <45% silica; generally very dark colored; composed
mainly of olivine and pyroxene which are the major constituents of
the upper mantle.
What Can Igneous Textures Tell Us?
• To describe the size, shape, and arrangement of the
mineral grains that make up a rock, geologists use the
word texture. Texture is an important property because it
allows geologists to make inferences about a rock’s
origin, based on careful observations of crystal size and
other characteristics (Figure 2.4)
• Rapid cooling produces small crystals, whereas very slow
cooling produces much larger crystals.
Igneous rocks are further classified as intrusive
or extrusive igneous based on grain size
• Intrusive rocks, or plutonic rocks,
are igneous rocks formed from
solidified magma underneath the
earth. They are coarse-grained due
to the slow cooling of magma
allowing crystal growth due to the
gradual lowering of the temperature
gradient at depth towards the
surface would cause slow
cooling/crystallization. Most of the
intrusive rocks have phaneritic
texture. Examples: granite, diorite,
gabbro
• Extrusive rocks, or volcanic rocks, are
igneous rocks formed on the surface of
the earth. They are cooled lava, which
are molten rocks ejected on the
surface through volcanic eruptions.
• They are fine-grained due to abrupt
cooling on the surface. The fast rate of
cooling/crystallization is due to huge
variance in the temperature between
Earth’s surface and underneath. The
common textures of extrusive rocks
are aphanitic, porphyritic and vesicular.
Examples: rhyolite, andesite, basalt
Sedimentary Rocks: Compacted and Cemented
Sediment
• These are rocks that formed through the accumulation, compaction,
and cementation of sediments. They generally form at surface or
near surface conditions.
• Sedimentary processes at or near the surface of the Earth include:
weathering of rocks, sediment transport and deposition, compaction
and cementation
• Factors in sedimentary processes: weathering and transport agents
(water, wind ice) .
• Common sedimentary features: strata and fossils
• Strata: >1cm is called bedding and anything less
is called lamination; layering is the result of a
change in grain size and composition; each layer
represents a distinct period of deposition.
•Fossils: remains and traces of plants and animals
that are preserved in rocks
Sedimentary rocks are classified into clastic or
non-clastic
• Clastic sedimentary rocks are made up of sediments from
preexisting rocks. When preexisting rocks are physically
weathered and eroded, they form sediments. When these
sediments are transported, deposited, and lithified, they
form the clastic sedimentary rocks. These rocks can be
identified based on their grain sizes that can range from
0.002 mm (e.g. clay size) to > 2 mm (coarse gravel).
• Non-clastic sedimentary rocks can be biological, chemical,
or a combination of both. Biological sedimentary rocks are
lithified accumulation of dead organisms. Examples include
coal (formed from carbon-rich plants) and limestone
(formed from the remains of calcareous organisms).
• On the other hand, chemical sedimentary rocks are from
chemical precipitation. An example is rock salt formed
when dissolved salts precipitate from a solution. Below is a
table of chemical sedimentary rocks based on composition
and texture size.
Metamorphic Rocks: New Rock from Old
• These are rocks that form from the transformation of
pre-existing rocks (igneous, sedimentary, or
metamorphic rocks) through the process of
metamorphism.
• Metamorphism can involve changes in the physical and
chemical properties of rocks in response to heat,
pressure, and chemically active fluids. They are
commonly formed underneath the earth through
metamorphism.
Metamorphic Rocks: New Rock from Old
•Metamorphism, which means “to change form,” is a
process that leads to changes in the mineralogy,
texture (for example, grain size), and sometimes
chemical composition of rocks. Metamorphism
occurs most often when rock is subjected to a
significant increase in temperature and/or pressure.
Most metamorphism occurs in one of two settings:
1. When rock is intruded by magma, contact
metamorphism may take place, as the magma
heats the adjacent rock to temperatures that
cause metamorphic changes.
2. During mountain building, great quantities of rock
are subjected to pressures and high temperatures
associated with large-scale deformation called
regional metamorphism
Metamorphic rocks can be classified as foliated or
non-foliated based on texture.
•Foliated metamorphic rocks have layered or banded
appearance produced by Regional metamorphism,
exposure to high temperatures and pressures. As
the rock is drawn deeper into Earth, chemical
changes in the minerals, crystal growth, and
compaction cause the original parent rock to be
metamorphosed. Examples include slate, phyllite,
schist, and gneiss.
•In contrast, non-foliated metamorphic rocks do not
have layered appearance and was formed have
undergone contact metamorphism where rocks are
not exposed to the intense pressure that is found
deeper within Earth.
•Examples include marble, quartzite, and anthracite.
•There is a popular saying, “Nothing is unchanging
except change itself.” What do you think it means?
How could you relate it with rocks?
•This saying emphasizes that whether we are aware
of it, everything around us is changing. Many
geological changes occur so slowly that they are
difficult to observe just like the rock cycle in figure
7.
ENRICHMENT ACTIVITY
•cite ways to prevent or lessen the environmental
impact that result from the exploitation, extraction,
and use of mineral resources.
A. Quarrying Law
B. B. The Philippine Mining Law
A. QUARRYING
GUIDE QUESTIONS:
[Link] kind of minerals/rocks are usually taken from quarries?
2. Describe three Methods used to remove rocks from quarries.
3. Where are large quarries located in our country?
4. How do these activities affect the environment and human
settlements?
5. Why there are still illegal quarrying activities done in remote areas
which caused so much damage in our mountains and hillsides as
reported on TV in Laguna?
B. PHILIPPINE MINING LAW
