Science Lesson Two and Three

4. The construction of buildings and parking lots requires a lot of nonmetallic mineral resources. Name three nonmetallic minerals used in building and construction.

Examples include: gypsum; clay; halite; sand; gravel

5. Metallic minerals are used in everyday society to make steel, nails, screws, and cans. Name three major ores used to produce these metallic minerals.

Hematite ore and magnetite ore: used to make iron; bauxite: used to make aluminum; ilmenite: use to make titanium metal

4. What is luster?

How a mineral reflects OR absorbs light at its surface.

7. Slag ore was used to make titanium dioxide for many years. What might happen economically such that slag would no longer be considered an ore?

If Slag could no longer be mined profitable, it would no longer be considered an ore. Especially after it has been mined for years, the high concentration of it would be lowered.

7. Why does a streak test only work for minerals softer than porcelain?

If the mineral is harder than porcelain, the porcelain will not be able to break the mineral into its colored powder form (streak).

10. Define cleavage and explain how it is different from fracture.

Minerals break where bonds between atoms or ions are weak. If a mineral breaks with smooth, flat surfaces, it has cleavage. It a mineral breaks and forms uneven surfaces, it has fracture. Fracture patterns can be unpredictable.

2. Why might a human made gem be less expensive than the same natural gem?

Natural gemstone is more difficult to find or more rare.

11. Does a broken bone cleave?

No, bones have fracture.

6. How are streak and color related?

Streak is the color of the mineral, but in powdered form.

8. Define hardness.

The resistance of a mineral to being scratched.

9. Explain how the Mohs hardness scale works.

The scale has a hardness range of 1-10. It is used to compare the hardness of different minerals. A value of 1 is assigned to the softest mineral (talc) and a value 10 to the hardest mineral (diamond).

5. Explain the difference between metallic luster, waxy, silky, pearly and vitreous luster? Can a mineral have a dull luster?

These different types of luster vary in the amount of light they reflect or absorb. • Metallic luster - reflects light • Waxy luster - appears to be coated with wax • Silky luster - have "fibrous" appearance like silk cloth • Pearly luster- appearance like an oyster shell (inside) or a pearl • Vitreous luster - glassy appearance A mineral CAN have a dull luster, especially if it is one that does not reflect light.

3. Diamond has a hardness of 10 and corundum 9. What industrial uses are these gems good for?

They are commonly used in abrasives and cutting tools.

1. Define a gemstone

A gemstone is a rare and attractive mineral that can be worn as jewelry.

2. What is the difference between a mineralogist and a geologist?

A mineralogist studies minerals. A geologist studies rocks.

1. What is a mineralogist?

A scientist that studies mineral properties, how minerals are distributed, and how minerals are used.

6. What is an ore?

An ore is a type of rock that contains sufficient minerals with important elements (including metals that can be economically extracted from the rock)

3. Why is it dangerous to identify a mineral based on color alone?

Color identification alone is dangerous because many different minerals can be the same color. Also, the same mineral can be several different colors.