MineralsIdentify the difference between a

mineral and a rock.

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• Minerals are inorganic, solid materials found in nature.– Inorganic means

not formed by plants or animals. They have no carbon.

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• Rocks are made of two or more minerals.– Each mineral has

unique characteristics that will identify it.

– More than 4000 minerals have been identified.

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• How do minerals form?

1. From melted rock material inside the Earth called magma.

Magma at the Earth’s surface is called lava.

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2. Evaporation can form minerals.

– Example of salt crystals appearing when seawater evaporates.

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3. Precipitation can also form minerals.

• Water can only hold so much dissolved material.

– Any extra separates and falls out as a solid.

Common Minerals• Remember there are

over 4000 minerals.

• Rocks that make up huge mountain ranges are made up of minerals.– These are called rock

forming minerals

Common Minerals• Most of the rock-

forming minerals are silicates.– Silicates contain

silicon and oxygen.• SiO2

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• Gems are minerals that are rare and when cut and polished gives them a beautiful appearance.

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• Diamonds: Are formed under special conditions. – A form of carbon.

–Created under high pressure deep in Earth’s mantle.

–Volcanic eruption can bring the diamonds close to Earth’s surface.

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•Ores: A mineral that contains enough useful substance that it can be sold for a profit.

– Ores are extracted by mining.

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• Aluminum, copper,

• Tungsten, iron, lead,

• Manganese, Nickel,

• Zinc, Chromium,

• Antimony, molybdenum,

• Silver

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• Ore Processing: After an ore is mined, it must be processed to extract the desired mineral.

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• Ore Processing: 1. Smelting: Melts the ore and

removes most of the unwanted materials.

2. Refining: Further purifies the desired mineral even more.

Minerals-Earth’s Jewels• North Carolina

ranks first in the east in the mining of gemstones.– Tourists search for

emeralds, rubies, sapphires, garnets, and other gemstones.

– The largest emerald found in North America came from NC.

Minerals-Earth’s Jewels• NC leads the nation in the production of many minerals.• NC was once a major gold producing state.

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• Section Review:1. What is a mineral?

• Naturally occurring, inorganic solid with a definite composition and orderly atomic arrangement.

Section Review• What is a rock?

– Usually composed of two or more minerals.

Section Review• Name five common rock

forming minerals.1. Quartz

2. Feldspar

3. Calcite

4. Gypsum

5. Halite

Section Review• Name five properties that are

commonly used to identify minerals.1. Color

2. Luster

3. Streak

4. Hardness

5. Cleavage

6. Magnetism

Section Review• What event must occur for a

diamond to reach Earth’s surface?–Volcanic eruption

Section Review• Where are diamonds formed?

–Deep within the Earth’s mantle under high pressure.

Section Review• How do you extract ores from

the Earth?

• Mining

Section Review• When is a mineral considered

an ore?

• When the mineral can undergo expensive mining and refinement and still yield a profit.