Download Mineral Groups

Essential Questions
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What are the major groups of minerals?
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How is the silicon-oxygen tetrahedron illustrated?
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How are minerals used?
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Types of Minerals
Vocabulary
Review
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chemical bond
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silicate
tetrahedron
ore
gem
Types of Minerals
Mineral Groups
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In order to study the many minerals on Earth and understand their
properties, geologists have classified them into groups.
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Each group has a distinct chemical nature and specific characteristics.
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Types of Minerals
Mineral Groups
Silicates
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Minerals that contain silicon and oxygen, and usually one or more other
elements, are known as silicates.
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Silicates make up approximately 96 percent of the minerals present in
Earth’s crust.
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The basic building block of the silicates is the silicon-oxygen tetrahedron. A
tetrahedron (plural, tetrahedra) is a three-dimensional shape that resembles
a pyramid.
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Types of Minerals
Mineral Groups
Silicates
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Because silicon atoms have four valence electrons, they can bond with four
oxygen atoms.
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Types of Minerals
Mineral Groups
Silicates
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Individual tetrahedron atoms are strong and can bond together to form
sheets, chains, and complex three-dimensional structures.
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The bonds between the atoms help determine several mineral
properties, including cleavage or fracture.
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Types of Minerals
Visualizing the Silicon-Oxygen Tetrahedron
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Types of Minerals
Mineral Groups
Carbonates
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Carbonates are minerals composed of one
or more metallic elements and the
carbonate ion CO32–.
Oxides
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Oxides are compounds of oxygen and a
metal, such as hematite (Fe2O3).
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Types of Minerals
Mineral Groups
Other groups
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Sulfides are compounds of sulfur and
one or more elements, such as pyrite
(FeS2).
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Sulfates are compounds of elements
with the sulfate ion (SO42–), such as
anhydrite (CaSO4).
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Types of Minerals
Mineral Groups
Other groups
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Halides are made up of chloride or
fluoride along with calcium, sodium, or
potassium, such as halite (NaCl).
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Native elements are made up of one
element only, such as silver (Ag).
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Types of Minerals
Economic Minerals
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Minerals are used to make computers, cars, televisions, desks, roads,
buildings, jewelry, beds, paints, sports equipment, medicines, and many
other things.
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Types of Minerals
Economic Minerals
Ores
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A mineral is an ore if it contains a
useful substance that can be mined
at a profit.
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The classification of a mineral as an
ore can change if the supply of or
demand for that mineral changes.
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Types of Minerals
Economic Minerals
Ores
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Ores that are located deep within Earth’s crust are removed by underground
mining. Those near Earth’s surface are obtained from large, open-pit mines.
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The removal of unwanted rock and dirt from mining can be expensive and
harmful to the environment.
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Types of Minerals
Economic Minerals
Gems
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Gems are valuable minerals that are prized for their rarity and beauty.
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Gems such as rubies, emeralds, and diamonds are cut, polished, and used
for jewelry.
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Types of Minerals
Review
Essential Questions
•
What are the major groups of minerals?
•
How is the silicon-oxygen tetrahedron illustrated?
•
How are minerals used?
Vocabulary
• silicate
• tetrahedron
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• ore
• gem
Types of Minerals