Objectives

Week 1

G119 Rocks and Minerals

 

After attending lecture and doing the reading assignment a student should be able to do the following:

 

1)  Explain the difference between a rock and a mineral.

 

2)  What are the three basic groups of rocks and how does each group form?

 

3)  Know the definition of a mineral and be able to distinguish between minerals and non minerals

 

4)  Other than economic reasons, list a reason why we should care about minerals.

 

5)  Explain the different environments that minerals form in and why minerals will have different properties.

 

6)  What are polymorphic minerals and a pseudomorphic minerals??

 

7)  Know what is meant by each of the following properties:

            Hardness                                 Luster                                Density

            Color                                       chemical reaction              Magnetism

            Streak                                      Habit                                 Taste and smell

            Cleavage                                 Fracture

           

8)  Know what minerals are used in the Moh’s hardness scale and what their number designation is:

            1)  talc                                     4)  fluorite                         7)  quartz  

            2)  gypsum                              5)  apatite                          8)  topaz

            3)  calcite                                 6)  feldspar                        9)  corundum

                                                                                                      10)   diamond

 

9)  Know how to use the physical properties of a mineral (and a flow chart) to be able to identify it.

 

10)  What is bauxite, what ore is it mined for, and what type of environment is it found in?