Geology -1

Geology

Spinel occurs in a wide variety of colors. The bright reds and deep blues are spectacular specimens. It is easy to understand how early gem traders confused spinel with ruby and sapphire for over 1000 years. Specimen and photo by Arkenstone / www.iRocks.com.

Remembering that a mineral is- “a naturally occurring, homogeneous inorganic solid substance having a definite chemical composition and characteristic crystalline structure, color, and hardness”. Whereas a rock is an aggregate of minerals. For example, basalt and granite are rocks, not minerals, because the composition can vary, and they are made up of many different crystals of several minerals.
In addition, don’t confuse elements with minerals. An element is a single type of atom, as in hydrogen (H), sodium (Na), iron (Fe) and so on. Elements are shown on the Periodic Table used in chemistry. Minerals on the other hand, are combinations of atoms (elements), as in calcite, quartz, halite, etc. Although there are a few exceptions, such as copper, gold, silver, etc. that occur as “native minerals”, meaning that the mineral is composed of only 1 element. Review the definition of elements, rocks, and minerals in your text.

Writer – describe how your chosen one mineral is used, and also conduct research to determine the geologic conditions in which it is formed, where it is found, how it is mined, its other uses, etc.

Writer – do not use the following minerals: gold, quartz, copper, feldspar, halite, graphite or spodumene.

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