Minerals Review
Calcite is the dominant mineral in the rock limestone. What group does it belong?
carbonates
What characteristics is used for classifying minerals into individual groups?
chemical composition
What term refers to the regular, geometric shapes that occur in many minerals?
crystal
Which property causes the mineral galena to break into tiny cubes?
crystal structure
What is the hardest mineral?
diamond
Minerals that break randomly exhibit?
fracture
The ___________________________________ test determines what materials a mineral will scratch.
hardness
Dull, silky, waxy, pearly, and earthy are terms best describes which property of minerals?
luster
What is a naturally occurring, solid, inorganic compound or element?
mineral
For mineral to be considered a ore ___________________________________.
must generate a profit
What is the term for minerals containing silicon and oxygen?
silicate
What group of minerals is composed mainly of tetrahedra?
silicates
What is the second most abundant element in earth's crust?
silicon
What is the main factor that determines the formation of minerals?
temperature of magma
Why are rubies and sapphires, which are both corundum, different colors?
they have trace elements