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Minerals
A naturally occurring, homogeneous
inorganic solid substance having a definite
chemical composition and characteristic
crystalline structure, color, and hardness.
Rock-forming Minerals
Making up the majority of the Earth's crust, rock
is usually defined as a mixture of minerals.
There are several rock-forming minerals.
Silicate Minerals
Non-silicate Minerals
rock salt—a rock dominantly composed of sodium chloride (NaCl - the mineral halite). Rock salt is an evaporite
formed in restricted basins with an inflow of seawater located in an arid environmental setting.
gypsum—a mineral composed of hydrous calcium sulfate (CaSO4-2H2O); an evaporite mineral used in the
manufacture of plaster.
calcite—a common rock-forming mineral consisting of calcium carbonate—CaCO3. Calcite can be white,
colorless (transparent), or slightly colored, commonly yellow, by other inclusion of traces of other elements.
Calcite is a major constituent of sedimentary rocks such as limestone, chalk, and travertine, and in the
metamorphic rock form, marble.
dolomite—A white or light-colored mineral, essentially CaMg(CO3)2, commonly found in association with
limestone or marble. Dolomite is a common replacement mineral in limestone that has been exposed the high
magnesium content brine fluids.
hematite—A reddish, steel gray, or black mineral consisting of ferric oxide (Fe2O3).
limonite—An amorphous orange to brownish mineral consisting of a mixture of hydrated ferric oxides,
important as an iron ore. Rust on iron vehicles is essentially limonite.
magnetite—a gray-black magnetic mineral that consists of iron oxide (Fe3O4) and is an important form of iron
ore.
pyrite—a brass-colored mineral, FeS2, occurring widely and used as an iron ore and in producing sulfur dioxide
for sulfuric acid. Also called fool's gold, iron pyrites
Hardness of Minerals
Igneous Rock Formation
Igneous Rock Classification
Igneous rocks are classified based on the grain
size (texture) and chemical composition (mineral
types).
Phaneritic igneous rocks have large mineral
crystals because they cool slowly.
Aphanitic igneous rocks have small mineral
crystals because they cool quickly.
Aphanitic (Rhyolite)
Phaneritic (Granite)
Sedimentary Rock Formation
Sedimentary rocks are types of rock that are formed
by the deposition of material within bodies of water
at the Earth's surface .
Sediments can harden into sedimentary rock in two
ways:
Pressure-as layer after layer of sediments are
deposited, the lower layers are pressed together
tightly under the weight of the layers above.
Cementing-some sediments are glued together by
minerals dissolved in water.
Sedimentary Rock Classification
Metamorphic Rock Formation
Metamorphic rocks are created by the physical
or chemical alteration of an existing igneous or
sedimentary material by heat and pressure.
Metamorphic Rock Classification
The Rock Cycle