Properties of Minerals
A ____________ is a naturally occurring, inorganic solid that has a crystal structure and definite chemical composition.
mineral
The scale that ranks minerals from softest to hardest is called ________.
Mohs Hardeness Scale
A ________ is a rounded, hollow rock that is often lined with mineral crystals.
geode
A _________ is a hard, colorful mineral that has a brilliant or glassy luster.
gemstone
What is the formula used to find the density of a mineral?
density = mass/volume
g/cm3
The repeating pattern of a mineral's particles forms a solid called ________.
crystal
A mineral that splits easily along flat surfaces has the property called _______.
cleavage
____________ is the process by which atoms are arranged to form a material with a crystal structure.
Crystallization
A rock that contains a metal or other using mineral that can be mined and sold at a profit is called an _____.
ore
If a sample of olivine has a mass of 237 g and a volume of 72 cm3 , what is the density?
237g / 72 cm3 = 3.3 g/cm3
The color of a mineral's powder is called ________.
streak
________ describes how a mineral looks when it breaks apart in an irregular way.
Fracture
A _________ is a mixture in which one substance is dissolved in another.
solution
Ores must be processed before the metals they contain can be used. In ___________ an ore is mixed with other substances and then melted to separate useful metal from other elements.
smelting
What is the softest known mineral?
Talc
The term used to describe how light is reflected from a mineral's surface.
luster
What are the 3 special properties we talked about that some minerals have?
magnetism, fluorescence, and reactivity
A _______ is a narrow channel or slab of a mineral that is different from the surrounding rock.
vein
A solid mixture of two or more elements with at least one being a metal is an _______.
alloy
What is the hardest known mineral?
diamond
For a substance to be a mineral, it must have all 5 characteristics. What are they?
naturally occurring, inorganic, solid, crystal structure, and definite chemical composition
List 5 of the ways we identify a mineral.
color, streak, luster, density, hardness, crystal system, cleavage, fracture, magnetism, fluorescence, and reactivity.
Minerals can form how?
Formed by evaporation, formed in hot solutions, cooling of magma and lava.
List the 4 steps in smelting an ore.
1. Iron ore is crushed and mixed with limestone and coke (baked coal).
2. The mixture is placed in a blast furnace.
3. As the coke burns, chemical changes produce carbon dioxide and molten iron.
4. The dense molten iron than sinks to the bottom of the blast furnace.
What mineral is prospected, mined, and smelted in order to extract aluminum from it?
bauxite