Minerals are naturally occurring inorganic solids with a definite crystalline structure and chemical composition. They are made up of elements and compounds that combine in different ways to form various minerals. Minerals then combine to form rocks. There are over 4000 known mineral species on Earth that each have unique physical and chemical properties determined by their composition and crystalline structure.

1. Minerals
The Building Blocks of Rocks

2. What are minerals made of?
• Most minerals are made up of a combination of two or more
elements.
• Elements such as Na, Ca, Fe, Mg, O, Si, Al, K – and others that
you might recognize from the periodic table of elements.
• These elements combine together to form minerals.
• Minerals then combine in different ways to form rocks.

3. Minerals
• All Minerals are made up of single
elements or compounds.
• Element: An element is made up of
atoms, and cannot be broken down
into a simpler substance.
• Compound: A compound contains 2
or more kinds of atoms that are
bonded (joined) together.
• Atom: An atom is the smallest part
of an element – it has all of the
properties of the element, but
cannot be seen – even with tools.

4. A naturally occurring, inorganic solid
crystalline substance with a definite
chemical composition.
A mineral must have these 5 major aspects:
If even just one of
these requirements
are not satisfied,
then the substance
is NOT a mineral.
1 •Naturally Occurring
2 •Inorganic
3 •Solid
4 •Crystal
5 •Definite Chemical Composition
4000 Mineral on
Earth

5. Naturally Occurring
• Something formed in nature, NOT MAN-MADE
• Example: Diamond, Copper, Salt
Minerals are a girl’s best friend!
• Diamonds are mineral
• Cubic Zirconia is not
because it is synthetic
Which one is a
Diamond?

6. Inorganic
• Something that was never living. Or
originated from a living organism.
• An inorganic substance was formed by earth
processes.
Is ice inorganic?
Is paper inorganic?
Is rock from magma inorganic?
Is a dead cat inorganic?
Are synthetically created substance minerals?
After all, they were never alive?

7. Solid
• Something that has a definite, ridged shape
and volume.
• Gas and liquids are not minerals.
Is air a mineral?
Is mercury a mineral?

8. Crystalline Substance
• A crystal is a substance whose atoms are arranged in a orderly
pattern.
• Particles line up in a pattern that repeats over and over
again…called a crystal
• A crystal has flat sides called faces.

10. Crystalline Substance
• There are 7 Crystal Systems
Cubic
Tetragonal
The cube is composed of 6 square faces
at 90° angles to each other. Each face
intersects one of the crystallographic
axes and is parallel to the other two.
The tetragonal system also has three
axes that all meet at 90°. It differs from
the isometric system in that the C axis is
longer than the A and B axis which are
the same length.

11. Crystalline Substance
• There are 7 Crystal Systems
Hexagonal
Trigonal
In the hexagonal system we have an additional
axes, which gives the crystals six sides. Three of
these are equal in length and meet at 60° to each
other. The C or vertical axis is at 90° to the
shorter axes.
Mineralogists sometimes divide this into two
systems, the hexagonal and the trigonal, based
on their external appearance, as follows:
Again, the trigonal system
is a subsystem of the
hexagonal. Most gem
references will list these as
hexagonal.

12. Crystalline Substance
• There are 7 Crystal Systems
Orthorhombic
Monoclinic
In this system there are
three axes, all of which
meet at 90° to each
other. However, all the
axes are a different
length.
The above crystal systems all have
axes sides that meet at 90°. In the
monoclinic system all the axes are
different lengths. Two of them,
the A and C axes, meet at 90°, but
the third one does not.

13. Crystalline Substance
• There are 7 Crystal Systems
Triclinic
In this system all the axes are
different lengths and none
of them meet at 90°.

14. Definite Chemical Composition
• Every mineral has its own chemical composition.
• A chemical composition is like a recipe for baking.
• A mineral has certain elements combined in certain amounts.
Just like baking, the
ingredients must be
in the right amounts
for it to turn out the
way the recipe
intended.
Na + Cl = NaCl (Salt)
Si + O2 = SiO2 (Quartz)
Si + O2 is not the
same as Si + O3
Substance 1
•1 Egg
•1 cup flour
•1cups sugar
Substance 2
•3Eggs
•2cup Flour
•4cups sugar

15. Review
1. A mineral is said to be … NATURALLY OCCURRING
because they formed by processes that occur in the natural
world.
2. Complete the concept map below…
3. In your own words, write a definition of a mineral.
A solid crystal that was never alive or apart of a living organism
that formed naturally and has a certain chemical composition.
Inorganic Solid Crystal
Definite
Chemical
Composition

16. Review
4. Because minerals do not come from living things, they are
said to be… inorganic.
5. A substance that keeps its shape because its particles cannot
flow freely is a(n)... SOLID.
6. A solid with flat sides that meet at sharp edges and corners
is called a(n)... CRYSTAL.