UNIT 1.
MINERALS & ROCKS
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
1) Minerals
2) Rocks
3) Minerals & rocks importance
4) Minerals & rocks extraction
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1. Minerals
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A mineral is a homogeneous, solid, inorganic, naturally occurring
substance that is formed by geological processes and has a defined
composition. Minerals are pure substances, that is, only made up of a
single type of substance.
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1. Minerals
Mineral structure
Minerals have an ordered internal
structure called crystal structure.
Mineral classification
Minerals are classified according to their
chemical composition. Sometimes
impurities may appear in its composition,
giving rise to different varieties, like in
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1. Minerals
We use EXTERNAL PHYSICAL PROPERTIES to identify them:
1. Shape: minerals can be amorphous (no shape) like cinnabar or present
regular or polyhedral shape like pyrite in cubes or pyramids.
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1. Minerals
EXTERNAL PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
2. Hardness: resistance of a mineral
to being scratched.
We used the Mohs hardness scale
to determine the hardness of each
mineral. Talc is the softest one and
diamond the hardest one. For this
reason, we use diamond in industrial
processes.
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1. Minerals
EXTERNAL PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
2. Hardness
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1. Minerals
EXTERNAL PHYSICAL PROPERTIES:
3. Luster / Lustre: appearance of the mineral when reflects light. It can
be metallic or non-metallic (resinous, vitreous or glassy, greasy, silky,
dull or earthy, wasy, pearl, adamantine, etc).
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1. Minerals
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1. Minerals
EXTERNAL PHYSICAL PROPERTIES:
4. Cleavage / Exfoliation: some minerals, upon impact, fracture along the
crystal faces disposed in thin layers, like micas (biotite, muscovite).
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1. Minerals
EXTERNAL PHYSICAL PROPERTIES:
5. Streak: constant colour of the dust
that is generated when scratching a
mineral. It may not be related to the
external colour of the mineral. For
example, the mineral hematite can have
different colour from grey to reddish,
but its streak is always red-brown.
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1. Minerals
EXTERNAL PHYSICAL PROPERTIES:
6. Colour: it is not a useful classification criterion, as there are many
minerals with similar colours. Even the same mineral can sometimes
present different colours, like quartz or mica with several varieties.
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1. Minerals
EXTERNAL PHYSICAL PROPERTIES:
7. Chemical properties: minerals and rocks made up by CaCO3 from living
things skeleton remains, reacting with acids producing a bubbling.
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1. Minerals
EXTERNAL PHYSICAL PROPERTIES:
8. Ductility: the ability to easily stretch into wires, like copper.
9. Magnetism: magnetite is a magnet mineral.
10. Luminescence: ability to emit light that some minerals have when
illuminated with ultraviolet light.
[Link]
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2. Rocks
A rock is a solid, natural and usually heterogeneous substance composed
of minerals. Rocks can be formed by single type of mineral or by several
different minerals.
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2. Rocks
TYPES OF ROCKS
According to their origin, rocks are classified into three types:
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MAGMATIC ROCKS
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SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
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METAMORPHIC ROCKS
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2. Rocks
MAGMATIC ROCKS
They form by the solidification of magma. Their appearance and properties
depend on whether they cool below the surface or above it:
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Plutonic magmatic rocks (e.g., granite) form deep in the crust.
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Volcanic magmatic rocks (e.g., basalt) form at the surface.
Giant’s Causeway of basalt (Ireland) 17 / 37
2. Rocks
1) Igneous or magmatic. They are formed from
ascending magmas that solidify upon cooling.
According to how fast they cool there is a
distinction between volcano and plutonic
rocks.
- Volcanic. They solidify quickly on the Earth’s
surface outside of the earth's surface (basalt).
- Plutonic. They solidify inside the earth's
surface (granite).
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2. Rocks
IGNEOUS
OR
MAGMAT
ICS 19 / 37
2. Rocks
2) Metamorphic rocks: formed when previous rocks (igneous,
sedimentary or metamorphic) are buried and suffer high pressures and
temperatures but without melting. Gneisses, slates, schists and
phyllites are rocks of this group.
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2. Rocks
3) Sedimentary rocks: formed on the Earth’s surface by the accumulation
of minerals, fragments of other rocks (sediments) or remains of living
beings. According to the composition and the size of grain, they are
divided into lutites, sandstones and conglomerates.
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1. Types of rocks
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
They are formed by the accumulation of sediments in sedimentary basins, such as river and
sea bottoms, lakes or glaciers.
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2. Rocks
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
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2. Rocks
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2. Rocks
ROCKY CYCLE
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2. Rocks
ROCKY CYCLE
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1. Types of rocks
Rocks change throughout three main processes:
- Solification, cooling and crystallization. Deep into the crust, temperatures can get hot enough to
create magma. As magma cools, crystals grow, forming magmatic/igneous rocks.
- Erosion and weathering. Geological agents such as water, wind, ice, temperature changes, atmospheric
gases and living things all act to wear down rocks. Over time they can break larger rocks into sediments.
Rocks break down by the process called weathering. Moving water, wind, and carry these pieces from one
place to another. This process is erosion. The sediments are eventually deposited inside a sedementary basin.
This process is called sedimentation. Sediments may then be compacted and cemented together. This forms
sedimentary rocks. This whole process can take hundreds or thousands of years.
- Metamorphism. This term means “change of shape”. A rock undergoes metamorphism if it is exposed to
elevated heat and pressure conditions within the crust. Rock does not melt all the way, but changes due to
heat and pressure. A metamorphic rock may have a new mineral composition and/or texture.
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2. Rocks
FOSSILIZED ROCKS
The study of fossils is called paleontology.
Fossil formation occurs at some stage in the rock cycle. Organic material
from vegetation or from some living being is “captured” and remains inside
will be a rock in the future.
Can any organic residue be fossilized?
At certain circumstances must exist: 28 / 37
3. Minerals & rocks importance
WHAT ARE MINERALS AND ROCKS FOR?
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The evolution of humans since the Paleolithic Age has been linked to the use
of rocks for building, ornamentation or making utensils for hunting.
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Minerals and rocks are usually extracted from the Earth’s crust by
excavating tunnels and galleries. During the extraction many residues are
generated, which can sometimes be toxic and dangerous for the
environment. Despite this, human beings have used minerals and rocks for
many applications since old times.
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Main uses of rocks are building, ornamentation, industry, source of energy
and technological materials.
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3. Minerals & rocks importance
1) Building materials: some rocks are used directly. Others are modified for
building purposes. Cement, concrete, ceramics and glass are some of most
commonly used building materials. They all come from rocks.
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3. Minerals & rocks importance
2) Ornamental rocks: marble, granite, slate and basalt are often used in
decoration. Due to their beauty once they have been carved and polished,
these rocks are used in sculptures, floors of buildings and many other
decorative elements in the interior and exterior of buildings.
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3. Minerals & rocks importance
3) Energy: sedimentary rocks such as coal and pretoleum (fossil fuels) are used
because they produce a lot of enegy when burnt. Uranium element (mineral) is
used in nuclear power plants.
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3. Minerals & rocks importance
4) Industry: Some minerals give us metals for industry: iron for machinery,
aluminum for cars and containers, copper for cables and pipes. We use other
minerals to manufactured medicine, paint and detergents. Some minerals are
used to make jewelry: gold, diamond...
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3. Minerals & rocks importance
5) Technological materials: rocks rich in quartz are a source of silicon, which is
used to make computer processors or photovoltaic solar panels. Aluminum,
obtained from bauxite, is used to make many objects such as planes, soft drink
cans or kitchen utensils.
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4. Minerals & rocks extraction
A deposit is the place where minerals or
rocks are found in sufficient quantity to
make extraction economically beneficial.
Minerals that are of interest to extract
are called ore deposit (useful). The other
rocks and minerals are referred to as
gangue (useless).
To locate a deposit drill holes are made
with large drills.
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4. Minerals & rocks extraction
Superficial extractions: rocks and minerals are extracted from the
surface or not very deep under the surface. This type of extraction
has a great impact on the environment. There are various types:
opencast mines, quarries, gravel pits.
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4. Minerals & rocks extraction
Subterranean extractions: rocks and
minerals are located deep within the
crust and are extracted using
underground mines.
Vertical tunnels called shafts are
constructed and horizontal tunnels or
galleries called adits, to extract the
minerals.
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