Lecture Test 1- mineralogy CSU
Vickers Hardness
(Number) measures the amount of stress it takes to make an indentation on a crystal, data is quantitative
Specific gravity
(density) M/V
How many mineral species are there?
5636
octahedral
8 faces
geode
A hollow rock inside which mineral crystals have grown.
Sulfates
Contain SO4 2-
phosphates
PO4 3-
Blocky/equant
equidimensional
Asbestiform
very fibrous
amygdaloidal
vesicles completely or partially filled with secondary minerals
fibrous
Aggregate of fine, usually thread-like crystals
Flexible Tenacity
Bends without breaking; does not return to original shape
sectile tenacity
Can be cut with a knife
Aggregate
Collection of crystals, individual crystals may or may not be visible
Carbonates
Contain CO3 2-
Sillicates
Contain SiO4 2-
Bladed
Elongated crystals flattened like a knife blade
Prismatic
Elongated crystals with faces that are parallel to a common direction.
Elastic tenacity
Mineral that reverts to original state after source of pressure is removed
Halides
Minerals that contain a halogen ion plus one or more other elements
Native elements
Minerals that only contain one element or type of atom
Petrology
Sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic rocks are composed almost entirely of minerals
Paleontology
The study of the mineralization of organic remains
Seismology
The study of waves travelling through rocks, controlled by the physics of the minerals
banded
a foliated rock that has thick alternating layers of dark and light minerals
radiating
a spray out in many directions
Type Locality
a typical location or representative location, not necessarily the first location where the mineral was discovered.
tabular
book like
Brittle tenacity
breaks or powders easily
Malleable tenacity
can be hammered into thin sheets
Ductile (tenacity)
can be made into wire
Drusy
coating of small crystals
Oxides
contain one or two metal elements combined with oxygen
Sulfides
contains S (but no O) in their structures
compact
crystals are too small to see; shapeless
cubic
cube
Stalactitic
cylinders or cones
Economic Geology
deals with economically valuable minerals
What does -ite mean?
derived from greek- "of the nature of" or "similar to"
SI unit for density
g/cm3 or g/mL
fracture
how a mineral breaks. If no cleavage, then only fracture. Minerals with good cleavage may not show fracture very well.
Hydroecology/Environmental Geology
how water interacts with minerals
SI unit for mass
kilogram (kg)
amourphous
lacking crystal structure
acicular
like a needle in shape : slender and pointed.
parting
like a poor cleavage, sometimes present, sometimes not, parallel to twins or exsolution features-not atomic
SI unit for distance
meter (m)
foliated
micaceous, lamellar, scaly, flaky, platy: splits into plates or leaves
mineraloid
missing some aspect of a typical mineral
Definition of a mineral
naturally occurring, generally inorganic, solid substance, orderly crystalline structure, definite chemical composition
Rhombahedral
non-right angles
Crystal form (habit)
refers to the common or characteristic shape of a crystal or aggregate of crystals
tenacity
resistance to cutting, breaking, bending, and deformation
concentric
spherical layers around a center
colloform
spherical shaped masses
Structural Geology
the study of the deformation of rocks (depends on what minerals it contains) and its effects
Cleavage
the tendency of a mineral to repeatedly break along flat surfaces, parallel to atomic planes.
fracture toughness
this is quantitative, if you squeeze a mineral hard enough to cause crack propagation
capillary
tiny, long, slender strands, usually the size of a hair
Dendritic
tree-like