Mineralogy: Characteristics and Importance of Minerals
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Questions and Answers

Which type of texture is characterized by interlocking crystalline grains greater than 1-2 cm in diameter?

  • Aphanitic
  • Pegmatitic (correct)
  • Glassy
  • Phaneritic

    • What type of lava flow has a smooth, ropy surface texture?

  • Pahoehoe lava (correct)
  • Pyroclastic materials
  • Porphyritic lava
  • Aa lava

    • Which type of texture is characterized by crystals that are too small to distinguish without magnification?

  • Pegmatitic
  • Aphanitic (correct)
  • Phaneritic
  • Porphyritic

    • What type of lava flow has a rough, jagged surface with sharp blocks and protruding spines?

    <p>Aa lava</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which type of texture is formed by very rapid cooling of magma, resulting in an amorphous, non-crystalline structure?

    <p>Glassy</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which type of texture is found in both intrusive and extrusive igneous rocks?

    <p>Porphyritic</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What type of mineral is gold (Au)?

    <p>Native Element</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is a common sulfide mineral?

    <p>Pyrite</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the main difference between anhydrous and hydrous sulfates?

    <p>Anhydrous sulfates contain water, while hydrous sulfates do not.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which property of carbonate minerals can be used to identify the presence of calcium carbonate?

    <p>They react with hydrochloric acid and fizz.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the main difference between native elements and halides?

    <p>Native elements are composed of a single element, while halides are composed of a halogen element and an alkali or alkali earth element.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the main characteristic of igneous rocks?

    <p>They are composed of one or more minerals.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary characteristic that defines a mineral?

    <p>Having a definite chemical composition and ordered internal structure</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following statements about ore minerals is true?

    <p>Ore minerals are mined and processed for the elements they contain</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is an example of an ore mineral?

    <p>Galena</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which property of minerals is described as the resistance to scratching or abrasion?

    <p>Hardness</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the distinguishing characteristic of a mineral compared to a rock?

    <p>Minerals have a definite chemical composition, while rocks do not</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following statements about minerals is true?

    <p>Minerals can be made of a single element or compounds in fixed proportions</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the key characteristic of minerals that break along fractures rather than cleavage planes?

    <p>They break in uneven, splintery, or conchoidal patterns.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the relationship between a mineral's specific gravity and water?

    <p>A mineral with a specific gravity of 1 is equal in weight to an equal volume of water.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following statements about measuring specific gravity is true?

    <p>Specific gravity can be measured using simple procedures involving beakers and water displacement.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What term is used to describe very fine-grained rocks?

    <p>Aphanitic</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following minerals would be classified as a silicate?

    <p>Quartz</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What causes ions to slow down during crystallization?

    <p>Loss of energy</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What distinguishes ferromagnesian silicate minerals from non-ferromagnesian silicates?

    <p>Ferromagnesian silicates contain iron or magnesium joined to the silicate structure.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What factor leads to the formation of large crystals in rocks?

    <p>Slow cooling rates</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What term describes rocks with both coarse and fine-grained textures?

    <p>Porphyritic</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is an example of an oxide mineral?

    <p>Magnetite</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which factor affects the size of crystal grains in an igneous rock?

    <p>Rate at which molten cools</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What are phenocrysts in igneous rocks?

    <p>Larger grains than the rest of the rock</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    Igneous Rock Textures

    • Groundmass: fine-grained component of a porphyritic rock that forms when magma or lava cools
    • Types of textures:
    • Phaneritic: coarse-grained rocks that form below the Earth's surface
    • Aphanitic: very fine-grained rocks with crystals too small to distinguish without a magnifying lens
    • Porphyritic: contains both coarse and fine-grained textures
    • Glassy: formed by very rapid cooling of magma, amorphous with no crystalline structure
    • Pegmatitic: contains interlocking crystalline grains > 1-2 cm in diameter

    Lava Types

    • Aa lava: basaltic lava flow with a rough surface, characterized by sharp, jagged blocks and protruding spines of volcanic rock
    • Pahoehoe lava: basaltic lava flow with a smooth and twisty, rope-like surface

    Mineral Classification

    • Native Elements: composed of a single native element (e.g. Au, Ag, Cu, Fe, diamonds, graphite, platinum)
    • Halides: consist of halogen elements (Cl, Br, F, I) forming strong ionic bonds with alkali and alkali earth elements (e.g. Halite, Fluorite)
    • Sulfates: minerals that include SO4 anionic groups combined with alkali earth and metal cations (e.g. Barite, Gypsum)
    • Carbonates: anionic groups of carbon and oxygen, react with hydrochloric acid (e.g. Calcite, Calcium carbonate, Dolomite)
    • Sulfides: minerals composed of one or more metal cations combined with sulfur (e.g. Pyrite, Galena, Cinnabar, Molybdenite)

    Characteristics of Minerals

    • Definition: naturally occurring inorganic homogeneous solid with a definite chemical composition and ordered internal structure
    • Importance: used to define major periods of early human civilization (e.g. Stone Age, Chalcolithic Age, Bronze Age, Iron Age)

    Ore Minerals

    • Minerals that are mined and processed for the elements they contain (e.g. Bauxite, Bornite, Chalcopyrite, Malachite)

    Mineral Properties

      1. Crystal Form
      1. Hardness
      1. Luster
      1. Color
      1. Streak
      1. Cleavage
      1. Specific Gravity: weight of a mineral relative to an equal volume of water

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    Description

    Learn about the characteristics and importance of minerals in geology and human civilization. Explore the definition of rocks, the concept of ore minerals, and the significance of mineral resources throughout different historical periods.

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