MINERAL BASICS
Minerals must be solid, inorganic, have a crystal structure, and be found doing this in nature.
naturally occurring?
The scale from 1 to 10 used to measure how easily a mineral can be scratched.
What is the Mohs Hardness Scale?
Molten rock that is located beneath the Earth's surface.
What is Magma?
The process of breaking down rocks into smaller pieces called sediment.
What is Weathering?
The two main "ingredients" or forces required to create a metamorphic rock.
What are Heat and Pressure?
A mineral deposit that is valuable enough to be mined for profit.
What is an Ore?
The color of a mineral's powder when rubbed on a porcelain tile.
What is Streak?
Igneous rocks that form from lava cooling above the Earth's surface.
What are Extrusive rocks?
The movement of sediment from one place to another by water, wind, or ice.
What is Erosion?
In the word metamorphic, "Meta" means change and "Morph" means this.
What is Form?
This term means a substance is not made from living things (plants or animals).
What is Inorganic?
The way light reflects off the surface of a mineral (e.g., metallic, glassy, earthy).
What is Luster?
This specific factor determines the size of the crystals in an igneous rock.
What is the rate of cooling?
The two processes that turn sediment into rock: Compaction and...
What is Cementation?
Metamorphic rocks that have minerals arranged in layers or bands
What is Foliated?
The orderly, repetitive 3D arrangement of atoms in a mineral creates this.
What is Crystal Structure?
If a mineral breaks along smooth, flat planes due to weak atomic bonds.
What is Cleavage?
A texture that forms when lava cools instantly, resulting in no crystal structure.
What is Glassy?
This type of sedimentary rock, like coal, is made from the remains of once-living things.
What is Organic?
This common sedimentary rock turns into Marble when subjected to heat and pressure.
What is Limestone?
While rocks are mixtures, minerals are "pure" all the way through, also known as this type of substance.
What is a homogeneous solid (or element/compound)?
A mineral with a hardness of 3 that can scratch a fingernail but not a penny.
What is Calcite?
Intrusive rocks like Granite have this texture (grain size) because they cool slowly.
What is Coarse-grained (or large crystals)?
Sedimentary rocks are the only type of rock where you will find these traces of ancient life.
What are Fossils?
Pressure that squeezes rock unequally in different directions, often causing folding.
What is Differential Stress?