G119 Activity Week 3

Name_________________________________ Ore Minerals

Identifying Ore Minerals

Ore minerals are very important to our society. As we have learned they are the base for many things from metal products, gemstones to building materials. In this activity you will be looking at many different ore minerals and using the techniques you learned previously, you will determine how they differ from each other. On the next page is a list of the minerals and each mineral has a number associated with it. These numbers correspond to the minerals in the box you will be looking at. Therefore you will know what each mineral is as you look at it. Your job is to learn each mineral and be able to identify it when it is given to you. There are mineral handbooks on the front desk you can use to also help. As you look at each mineral, fill out a chart listing the properties of the minerals to help you when you are studying. After you are done studying the minerals and listing their properties, we will review together and see what you came up with

A couple of techniques students have found useful for learning the minerals:

First, make a close examination of each specimen provided and use the techniques you have learned to create a chart of the minerals properties. If there is more than one specimen for a particular mineral, be sure to look at them all. Pay attention to different habits and remember, the more samples of each mineral you see the better. Use this chart you create to study from. Second, many students find it useful to create flash cards as a method to learn the minerals.

Also note: for many minerals there are one or two properties that make them distinctive from other minerals. If you learn these one or two properties you don’t have to memorize all the others.

The text book for this class will also give you information about each mineral. I would recommend determining the mineral properties for yourself first and then check to see if you are correct. Remember the point is to learn the mineral and be able to identify them without a book or chart. For the exam next week you will only be given hardness kits, streak plates and other testing materials.

The minerals will be left out in the room so you can examine them as much as you want when there are no classes in session. There is a schedule for the room posted next to the door on the outside. If you want to study but the door is locked please come ask me or the secretary and we can unlock the door for you. I have also put a box of minerals on reserve at the library.

For each of the underlined minerals

1) Be able to identify each mineral in a hand sample. This means that if I were to give you an ore specimen I would expect you to be able to tell me what it is without the use of a flow chart. (I will give you a list of the minerals)

2) Know the metal that each is mined for.

Web Resources for Ore Minerals

http://www.brookes.ac.uk/geology/8361/1999/tracey/intro.htm

http://www.mii.org/mineral_photos_by_type.htm#ore (nice pictures)

There are pictures on the class web page as well of each mineral.

ORE FORMING MINERALS

Sulfides Ore of (metal): Formula: Compound:

1. Sulfur native Sulfur S sulfur

2. Pyrite iron FeS₂iron sulfide

3. Pyrrhotite iron, Fe_1-xS iron sulfide

4. Chalcopyrite copper CuFeS₂ copper iron sulfide

5. Sphalerite zinc ZnS zinc sulfide

6. Galena* lead PbS lead sulfide

7. Molybdenite molybdenium MoS₂ molybdenumsulfide

8. Realgar* arsenic AsS arsenic sulfide

9. Chalcocite copper Cu₂S copper sulfide

10. Cinnabar* mercury HgS murcury sulfide

11. Stibnite antimony Sb₂S₃antimony sulfide

12. Bornite copper Cu₅FeS₄copper iron sulfide

Oxides

13. Hematite, micaceous iron Fe₂O₃ iron oxide

14. Hematite, ocherous iron Fe₂O₃iron oxide

15. Limonite iron FeO(OH) ^. nH₂O iron oxide (hydrous)

16. Magnetite (lodestone) iron Fe₃O₄iron oxide

17. Chromite chrome FeCr₂O₄iron chromium oxide

18. Bauxite aluminum Al(OH)₃ aluminum hydroxide

19. Psilomelane manganese (BaH₂O)₄(Mn₁₀O₂₀) barium manganese oxide

20. Pyrolusite manganese MnO manganese oxide

Carbonates

21. Magnesite magnesium MgCO₃ magnesium carbonate

22. Smithsonite (drybone) zinc ZnCO₃ zinc carbonate

23. Rhodochrosite manganese MnCO₃ manganese carbonate

24. Malachite copper Cu₂CO₃ (OH)₂ copper carbonate

25. Azurite copper Cu₃(CO₃)₂(OH)₂ copper carbonate

Sulfates

26. Barite barium BaSO₄ barium sulfate

27. Celestite strontium SrSO₄ strontium sulfate

28. Gypsum, massive calcium CaSO₄^.2H₂O calcium sulfate

Halides

29. Fluorite fluorine CaF₂ calcium fluoride

30. Sylvite potassium KCl potassium chloride

31. Halite sodium NaCl sodium chloride

Silicates

32. Spodumene lithium LiAlSi₂O₄ lithium alumna silicate

33. Chrysocolla copper Cu₂H₂Si₂O₅ (OH)₄ copper silicate (hydrous)

34. Rhodonite manganese,iron, MnSiO₃ manganese silicate

magnesium

Borates

35. Colemanite boron Ca₂B₆O₁₁^.5H₂O calcium borate (hydrous)

36. Ulexite boron NaCaB₅O₉^.8H₂O sodium calcium borate

(hydrous

* These are ores of heavy metals. While there is no danger in handling these minerals, students should wash their hand after working with

them.