EARTH
MATERIALS &
PROCESSES
MINERALS
Building blocks of rocks.
Common on Earth’s
crust known as rock
forming minerals.
rocks
Naturally occurring
mixture of different
minerals.
Formed through the
rock cycle.
Rock cycle
Process where in rocks change
into sedimentary rocks,
metamorphic rocks, and
igneous rocks.
Geologic process that repeats
itself through long periods of
time.
Rock cycle
Itresults into the formation
of 3 basic types of rocks.
IGNEOUS ROCKS
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
METAMORPHIC ROCKS
1. Igneous Rocks
Formed from magma, the
hot and molten form of the
Earth’s mantle layer. It can
form above ground as lava
spewing from volcanoes in
which case they are called
as: extrusive & intrusive
Extrusive igneous rocks
Volcanic igneous rocks
The magma slowly cools
Formation of igneous rocks
took place on the surface of
Earth.
Intrusive igneous rocks
Plutonic igneous rocks
Formation occurred
underneath Earth’s
surface.
For a rock to melt, factors such
as TEMPERATURE, PRESSURE
& PRESENCE OF WATER OR
WATER VAPOR are important.
Temperature must reach
around 800 degree C – 1000
degree C
2 types of melting
Decompression melting
Partial/fractional
melting
Partial/fractional melting
Melted rocks solidifies,
the composition of this
new rock would be
entirely different from
that of original rock.
Decompression melting
Due to high pressure at
a depth 100km, rocks no
longer melt.
Decrease in pressure is
needed to melt.
3 types of magma
Basaltic magma
Andesitic magma
Rhyolitic magma
Basaltic magma
Most common magma on
Earth.
Low silica content, high
temperature, low viscosity
and low gas content.
Andesitic magma
Magma with properties
that are in between
basaltic and rhyolitic.
Rhyolitic magma
Opposite of basaltic magma.
Has high silica content, low
temperature, very high
viscosity and high gas
content.
2. Sedimentary rocks
Came from small particles of
extrusive igneous rocks and or
shells of sea animals that have
been subjected to weathering.
Classified & identified accordingly
to texture, nature & shape of the
sediments & presence of cement.
Classifications of S. R.
Clastic/detrital sedimentary
rocks
formed by accumulation,
compaction, and cementation
of different solid particles.
Chemical sedimentary
rocks
contains materials that are
formed by chemical
precipitation of minerals as a
direct result of physical
processes.
Weathering
Physical process that involves the
combined action of WIND & RAIN
beating on & rubbing against the
surfaces of exposed rocks until
the particles of these uppermost
layers wear off, become BLOWN &
WASHED AWAY to a new location.
Weathering
Process of
DISINTEGRATION (physical)
& DECOMPOSITION
(chemical) of rocks.
Breaking down of rocks
can be:
Physical/mechanical
weathering
Chemical weathering
Physical/mechanical weathering
Ifa smaller rocks have the
same chemical composition
with bedrock where they are
from, they have gone
physical/mechanical
weathering.
Chemical weathering
Chemical reactions change
the chemical composition of
the rocks, which lead to
their breakdown.
3. Metamorphic rocks
Form under intense heat
and pressure.
Through the rock cycle, rocks
actually continually change in
form. What started out as
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS may
change to METAMORPHIC
ROCK and with time and
weathering, change to
sedimentary .
8 most common mineral groups
Native elements
Sulfides
Oxides
Carbonates
Phosphates
Sulfates
Halides
Silicates
a. Native elements
Composed of a single kind of
atoms and includes Antimony,
Arsenic, Bismuth, Copper,
Sulfur, and Carbon occurring as
either diamond/graphite.
b. sulfides
Combined with other mineral.
These minerals tend to be
dense, brittle, and metallic in
appearance.
c. oxides
Consist of Oxygen that combined with
a metal or metal with Hydrogen.
This is a large group that occurs
mostly in geological
environments/rock formations &
consist of either common metal ores
or precious gems.
d. carbonates
Formed from the combination
of Carbon, Oxygen and a metal
or metalloid.
They are soft & acid soluble &
includes the following examples:
calcite, malachite &
rhodochrosite.
e. phosphates
Contain Phosphorus,
Oxygen, and other metals or
non metals and are usually
formed from weathering of
other minerals.
f. sulfates
Made of one or more metals
combined with Sulfur and
Oxygen which formed from
volcanically heated water.
g. halides
metals that have been
combined with any of the
halogens namely Chlorine,
Bromine, Flourine,
Iodine,and Astatine.
h. silicates
Most widespread of the
mineral made up of Oxygen
& Silicon which are the 2
most abundant elements in
the Earth’s crust.
Properties in mineral
description
Color/Streak
Hardness
Cleavage & fracture
Crystalline structure
Transparency/Diaphaneity
Tenacity
Magnetism
Luster
Odor
a. color
Property of a mineral that is
easiest to identify.
STREAK color of the
mineral in powder form & is
considered as the mineral’s
true color.
b. hardness
A measure of the mineral’s
resistance to scratching and
is determined using the
Mohs Scale that consists of
a set of 10 minerals with
known hardness.
Mohs scale of hardness
HARDNESS MINERALS
1 Talc
2 Gypsum
3 Calcite
4 Flourite
5 Apatite
6 Feldspar
7 Quartz
8 Topaz
9 Corundum
10 Diamond
c. Cleavage & fracture
Cleavage the line at which the
mineral breaks when it was
sharply hit by an instrument.
Fracture Describes the quality
of the cleavage surface & is
described as grainy fracture.
d. Crystalline structure
Crystal lattice
Arrangement of atoms,
molecules/ions that make
up the crystals and how
they are joined.
e. Transparency/diaphaneity
Mineral’s ability to allow
the passage of light
which may be influenced
by its thickness.
f. tenacity
Minerals’ resistance to
breaking/deforming can
be brittle, malleable,
sectile/elastic.
g. magnetism
Abilityof minerals either
attract or repel other
magnetic materials.
h. luster
Quality of light that is being
reflected by the surface
it can be: metallic, non
metallic, sub metallic.
Metallic Luster minerals that
look like metals are shiny (reflects
light)
Non Metallic Luster minerals
that describe as glassy, earthy,
pearly or greasy.
Sub Mettallic Luster minerals
that develop a dull coating and not
shiny.
i. odor
The olfactory characteristic
that becomes manifested
only when a mineral is
moistened, heated,
breathed upon or rubbed.
