Copyright: INTRODUCTION TO MINERALOGY, WIILIAM D. NESSE, 2nd Edition

The term minerals

is used in a variety of ways:

In economic: any valuable material extracted from the earth like coal, oil, sand, gravel, iron ore, & groundwater

In nutritionists: any of the chemical compounds or elements that are important for health

common usage: anything that is neither animal nor vegetable

In geoligy: naturally occurring with crystalline solid

Some definition require inorganic material, but some mineral have organic material called bio mineral

Mineralogy: study of minerals

naturally occurring

formed without benefit of human action in natural environment

synthetic mineral: crystalline solid produce in laboratory (It’s not mineral Because it’s not naturally occurring)

crystalline

atom comprise crystalline material arranged & bonded in regular & repeating long-rang pattern

amorphous: Solid like glass & opal lacking long-range order

Mineraloids: mineral-like, materials that lack long-range crystalline structure, include amorphous solid such as Opal & Glasses

Opal SiO₂.H₂O: consist silica gel arrange in small spherical masses

Any crystalline structure is solid material, but not every solid material have crystalline structure

Metamict: applied to disrupted structures, & once structure becomes metamict then it’s mineraloid

Composition & Properties

As consequence of being crystalline solid, minerals have definite & not necessarily fixed chemical composition
– Ex. Quartz SiO₂

composition of many mineral species may vary within limits
– Ex. olivine: may rich in iron Fe₂SiO₄ or magnesium Mg₂SiO₄, or intermediate composition

different sample of mineral may have different compositions but variability is limited, Because minerals are crystalline & have definite chemical composition & definite physical properties
– في الوحدات القادمة سنعلم ان السبب هو احلال العناصر

physical properties may vary within limits because they controlled by variation in chemical properties

bio mineral “in general”

bio minerals: Minerals constitute integral part of biologic structures & processes

Calcite & Aragonite (both CaCO₃): form shell & major component of limestone layers

Apatite: makes teeth & bones

Bacteria are integral part of geochemical processes at or near surface & influence at many minerals

pyrite FeS₂: found in shale & coal, & reduced by action of sulfate-reducing bacteria

Geomicrobiology: study of interaction of microbes & geologic processes

biologic processes : affect surface chemical environment & therefore types of distribution of minerals found

meteorite impacts

Pseu-dotachylite: Frictional melts produced in fault zones in response to intense shearing

If meteorite impacts are large enough, release high energy to melt rocks that they strike producing impact melt

impact melt ejected from impact crater

Tektite: Small mass of glass, interpreted to samples of now-solidified

lightning strike may heat soil or rock sufficiently to melt some of it & produce fulgurite

Burring coal beds generate heat to fuse surrounding rook (forming scoriaceous or slag-like glasses referred to as ash glass or clinker)

MINERAL NOMENCLATURE

Mineral Species: mineral distinguished from other minerals by combination of composition & structure

Mineral Variety: distinguished by differences in color, habit (shape)… atc

Mineral Series: is 2 or more minerals among there range of composition (Ex. Plagioclase)

Mineral Group: set of minerals with same structure & different compositions

Mineral Crystal: piece of mineral bounded by regular crystal faces produced as crystal grew, Like fracture, & cleavage

Commission on New Minerals Nomenclature & Classification of International Mineralogical Association

The End