Lecture 9

Question 1

Which mineral group is dominant on earth?

Answer 1

Silicates

Question 2

What are the mineral groups?

Answer 2

Native elements
Sulfides and sulfosalts
Halides
Oxides and Hydroxides
Carbonates 
Silicates

Question 3

What are the native elements (Pure elements)

Answer 3

Free uncombined elements (1 single element)

Question 4

What is characteristic of metals (native elements)

Answer 4

Dense, soft, opaque, malleable, ductile. Good elecricity conductors. Massive, dendritic, wire like

Question 5

What is characteristic of semi metals (native elements)

Answer 5

Poor electricity conductors, commonly only occur in nodular masses

Question 6

What is characteristic of the nonmetals? (Native elements)

Answer 6

Transparent to translucent- do not conduct electricity. Have the trend to form distinct, often large sized crystals.

Question 7

What are some examples of metals?

Answer 7

Gold, Silver and Platinum (occur frequently together)

Question 8

What are some examples of semimetals?

Answer 8

Arsenic and Antimony

Question 9

What are some examples of nonmetals?

Answer 9

Sulphur and carbon

Question 10

What are sulfides?

Answer 10

Minerals formed by a metallic element and sulphur. Can be replaced by tellurium and arsenic as well

Question 11

What lustre do the sulfides often present?

Answer 11

Metallic (eg: Galena)

Question 12

Are sulfides dense or not dense?

Answer 12

Dense (Galena, molybendite etc)

Question 13

What sulfides are nonmetallic?

Answer 13

Orpiment and realgar (both are toxic, made with arsenic)

Question 14

What are sulfosalts?

Answer 14

Mixed sulfides in which a semimetallic element is presented with a metallic one

Question 15

What is Pyrite?

Answer 15

The most frequent sulfide in nature. “Fools Gold”. Cubical mineral, can create a rare pentagon shape

Question 16

What is an example of some sulfosalts?

Answer 16

Stephanite, Pyrargyrite (similar composition of silver, antimone, and sulphur-different valences creates different appearances)

Question 17

What are oxides?

Answer 17

Compounds formed from various metallic elements and oxygen-oxygen plays the role of an anion. (gives away an electron)

Question 18

What are some properties of oxides?

Answer 18

High variability of habit and colour, flexible crystal structures which accept lots of impurities. Occur in all 3 rock domains

Question 19

What are some examples of oxides?

Answer 19

Uraninite, Magnetite, Ilmenite, Rutile, Corundum, Sapphire, Ruby, Hydroxides

Question 20

What special property does magnetite have?

Answer 20

It’s magnetic lmao

Question 21

What do ruby and sapphire demonstrate?

Answer 21

How flexible carbon is

Question 22

What are carbonates?

Answer 22

Minerals that contain CO3

Question 23

What is the most common carbonate?

Answer 23

Calcite

Question 24

What are some of the characteristics of carbonates?

Answer 24

Usually present as well developed, rhombohedral crystals and bright colours. All 3 rock domains, most commonly sedimentary

Question 25

What are aragonites (carbonates)?

Answer 25

Unstable carbonate-recrystallizes after organism death into calcite

Question 26

What are some examples of carbonates?

Answer 26

Calcite, aragonite, baritocalcite, dolomite (mixed calcium and magnesium)

Question 27

What are sulfates?

Answer 27

Minerals in which metallic elements are combined with radicals SO4.

Question 28

Which rock domain do the sulfates mostly occur in?

Answer 28

Sedimentary

Question 29

What is the most common sulfate?

Answer 29

Gypsum

Question 30

What are some of the properties of sulfate?

Answer 30

Soft, light minerals, present in pale colours.

Question 31

What are some examples of sulfates?

Answer 31

Gypsum, Anhydrite