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Questions and Answers
Which of the following minerals belongs to the Mica Group?
Which of the following minerals belongs to the Mica Group?
- K-feldspar
- Orthoclase
- Muscovite (correct)
- Quartz
What is the characteristic cleavage pattern of Muscovite?
What is the characteristic cleavage pattern of Muscovite?
- 3-directions of cleavage
- 2-directions of cleavage
- 1-direction of cleavage (correct)
- No cleavage
What type of silicates are Quartz and Feldspars?
What type of silicates are Quartz and Feldspars?
- Phyllosilicates
- Tectosilicates (correct)
- Nesosilicates
- Inosilicates
Which of the following feldspars is a Ca-Na solid-solution series?
Which of the following feldspars is a Ca-Na solid-solution series?
What is the characteristic of silicates that makes them the most important mineral group?
What is the characteristic of silicates that makes them the most important mineral group?
What is the general formula for feldspars?
What is the general formula for feldspars?
Which of the following minerals is classified as an ore mineral?
Which of the following minerals is classified as an ore mineral?
What is an example of a strategic mineral?
What is an example of a strategic mineral?
Which of the following statements is true regarding gangue minerals?
Which of the following statements is true regarding gangue minerals?
Which mineral is NOT considered an industrial mineral?
Which mineral is NOT considered an industrial mineral?
What characteristic defines a mineral as a pure element?
What characteristic defines a mineral as a pure element?
Which of the following minerals is classified as an ore mineral used for its metal content?
Which of the following minerals is classified as an ore mineral used for its metal content?
What type of mineral is particularly important during a national emergency?
What type of mineral is particularly important during a national emergency?
Which of the following is NOT an example of an ore mineral?
Which of the following is NOT an example of an ore mineral?
Which mineral group is represented by having tetrahedra share two oxygens to form a ring structure?
Which mineral group is represented by having tetrahedra share two oxygens to form a ring structure?
What is the correct formula for Epidote?
What is the correct formula for Epidote?
Which of the following minerals is part of the Pyroxene Group?
Which of the following minerals is part of the Pyroxene Group?
What architecture characterizes Double Chains in the Amphibole Group?
What architecture characterizes Double Chains in the Amphibole Group?
Which mineral is known as a variety of Beryl?
Which mineral is known as a variety of Beryl?
What defines Single-Chain Silicates within the Inosilicates?
What defines Single-Chain Silicates within the Inosilicates?
Which mineral group is mainly characterized by dark silicates rich in iron and magnesium?
Which mineral group is mainly characterized by dark silicates rich in iron and magnesium?
What is the general arrangement of tetrahedra in Nesosilicates?
What is the general arrangement of tetrahedra in Nesosilicates?
What type of minerals are those from which metals can be extracted at a profit?
What type of minerals are those from which metals can be extracted at a profit?
Which crystal system has three axes that are all equal in length and intersect at right angles?
Which crystal system has three axes that are all equal in length and intersect at right angles?
What do gems possess that gives them their ornamental value?
What do gems possess that gives them their ornamental value?
What defines a monomineralic rock?
What defines a monomineralic rock?
Which of the following characteristics is NOT associated with industrial minerals?
Which of the following characteristics is NOT associated with industrial minerals?
In which crystal system are two axes equal in length while the third axis is of a different length?
In which crystal system are two axes equal in length while the third axis is of a different length?
What does Steno's Law state about crystal faces of the same mineral?
What does Steno's Law state about crystal faces of the same mineral?
What is a key characteristic of the Hexagonal crystal system?
What is a key characteristic of the Hexagonal crystal system?
What is the characteristic structural feature of sorosilicates?
What is the characteristic structural feature of sorosilicates?
Which of the following minerals is an example of a sorosilicate?
Which of the following minerals is an example of a sorosilicate?
What is the basic structural unit of cyclosilicates?
What is the basic structural unit of cyclosilicates?
What is the name of the mineral group that is based on single chain silicates?
What is the name of the mineral group that is based on single chain silicates?
Which of the following is a characteristic of double chain silicates?
Which of the following is a characteristic of double chain silicates?
What is the basic structural unit of sheet silicates?
What is the basic structural unit of sheet silicates?
What is the name of the mineral group that contains the mineral Beryl?
What is the name of the mineral group that contains the mineral Beryl?
Which of the following statements is TRUE about the structural unit Si2O6-4?
Which of the following statements is TRUE about the structural unit Si2O6-4?
Study Notes
Mineral Composition
- Minerals can consist of pure elements (e.g., copper, silver, gold) or compounds.
- Ore minerals are sources for metals, while gangue minerals are unwanted materials intergrown with ore.
Types of Minerals
- Industrial Minerals: Naturally occurring rocks/minerals with economic value (excluding metallic ores). Examples include barite, gypsum, talc, silica.
- Strategic Minerals: Essential for military, industrial, or civilian needs during emergencies. Examples include manganese, platinum, bauxite, chromite.
Common Ore Minerals
- Argentite (Ag2S), Arsenopyrite (FeAsS), Bornite (Cu5FeS4), Cassiterite (SnO2), Chalcocite (Cu2S).
- Chalcopyrite (CuFeS2), Chromite ((Fe, Mg)Cr2O4), Cinnabar (HgS), Cobaltite ((Co, Fe)AsS), Covellite (CuS).
- Enargite (Cu3AsS4), Galena (PbS), Gold (Au), Hematite (Fe2O3), Ilmenite (FeTiO3).
- Magnetite (Fe3O4), Malachite (Cu2CO3(OH)2), Molybdenite (MoS2), Pentlandite ((Fe, Ni)9S8), Pyrolusite (MnO2).
- Scheelite (CaWO4), Sphalerite (ZnS), Uraninite (UO2), Wolframite ((Fe, Mn)WO4).
Mineral Identification
- Crystals are the outward form of a mineral's internal structure.
- Silicates are the most significant mineral group, classified into several subgroups.
Silicate Mineral Groups
- Epidote Group: Includes Epidote (Ca2(Al,Fe)3O(SiO4)(Si2O7)(OH)), Zoisite, Clinozoisite, Tanzanite, Allanite, Dollaseite.
- Cyclosilicates: Ring-structured silicates like Beryl (Emerald) and Tourmaline.
- Inosilicates: Chain-structured silicates like pyroxenes (single chains) and amphiboles (double chains).
Pyroxene Group
- Comprised of ferromagnesian dark silicates, notable members include Augite, Enstatite, Diopside, and Aegirine.
- Display two directions of cleavage near 90 degrees.
Mica and Clay Minerals
- Light silicates include Mica (e.g., Muscovite, Biotite) and clay minerals categorized as phyllosilicates with one cleavage direction.
Tectosilicates
- Feature three-dimensional networks, including Quartz and Feldspar, and are characterized by sharing all four oxygens in tetrahedra.
Feldspar Group
- Comprises K-feldspar, Orthoclase, and Plagioclase, the most abundant mineral group with two cleavage directions.
Crystal Systems
- Isometric: Equal axes, all perpendicular.
- Tetragonal: Rectangular prism shape with two equal length axes.
- Orthorhombic: All axes different lengths, maintaining right angles.
- Hexagonal: Four axes, critical for well-structured silicate minerals.
Silicate Structural Types
- Sorosilicates: Link tetrahedra to form double island structures (e.g., Epidote).
- Cyclosilicates: Form rings by sharing oxygen (e.g., Beryl).
- Inosilicates: Chains formed by linked tetrahedra (e.g., Pyroxenes).
- Phyllosilicates: Form sheets with shared oxygens (e.g., Mica).
Steno’s Law
- Crystal faces of the same mineral consistently maintain interfacial angles, irrespective of crystal size or shape.
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Description
Learn about the composition of minerals, including pure elements and compounds, and the different types of minerals such as industrial and strategic minerals.
