25 Interesting Facts About Minerals Everyone Should Be Aware Of
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Minerals are inorganic substances found naturally on Earth and are like vitamins that help in the growth process of human beings.
A group of 40 national societies forms the International Mineralogical Association to standardize the nomenclatures of all minerals and promote science and mineralogy. Nearly 98.5% of the Earth’s crust comprises the following eight elements: oxygen, aluminum, silicon, iron, calcium, sodium, magnesium, and potassium.
Most minerals are found in the Earth’s crust, and the primary methods adapted to extract them are placer mining, underground mining, and surface mining.
Types Of Minerals
The two types of minerals are metallic and non-metallic, and the non-metallic is further divided into ferrous and non-ferrous.
The metallic minerals are sourced through mining, and a few examples are manganese, bauxite, and iron ore.
The non-metallic minerals shine and show a non-metallic luster. There are no extractable metals from these minerals and including limestones, gypsum, and mica.
Ferrous metals contain irons and their alloys. These metals are solid and are load-bearing.
Properties Of Minerals
The specific chemical composition defines a mineral in part. There are easier ways to identify the minerals based on their properties.
The unique physical properties of most minerals are classified based on their hardness, luster, color, specific gravity, streak, cleavage, fracture, and tenacity.
Most common minerals on Earth’s crust can be identified using their fundamental physical properties such as color, shape, and hardness.
Streak is known to show the actual color of the mineral in powdered form. In metallic minerals, the small particles of the streak absorb the light, striking them and appearing darker.
The Non-metallic particles do not absorb but reflect the striking light, thus are lighter and white. Thus streak is a more reliable property of minerals than color in many instances.
A streak plate is an unglazed ceramic used to test the color of a mineral. Rub the specimen on the tile to make a scratch and then observe the residue left on the plate to ascertain the mineral’s color.
The mineral crystals are found in different shapes and sizes, and a particular shape is determined based on the disposition of the atoms. These molecules join and make up the crystal and are called the crystal lattice.
If there is no crystalline structure, it is called amorphous and can be viewed using high magnification. There are very few amorphous crystals that can be observed under extremely high magnification.
The external shape of the mineral crystal is determined by its internal atomic structure. When the magma cools, a typical crystal fills into whatever space it can in competition with other crystals.
The crystals will take any shape possible, but the angle between the crystal faces will always be the same. Natural processes like weathering, erosion, and deposition usually take years to cause noticeable changes in the Earth’s crust.
Checking the hardness of the material by using a Mohs scale set with ten minerals is one of the better properties to review the mineral.
Most of the minerals do not have an odor and can be acted in different ways such as moistened, heated, rubbed, or breathed upon.
Uses
Minerals are used in our everyday life and are easily recognized. Minerals have the power to create anything and everything and have become an integral part of modern technology.
Coal is used to generate fuel for industries, domestic purposes, and to generate electricity in power plants.
Petroleum products are used as fuels in vehicles, and LPG and kerosene are used for domestic purposes.
Minerals are used for building and construction purposes.
Non-metallic minerals are used in many industrial applications, including fertilizers, chemicals, glass, fillers in the pharma industry, plastic, and paper.
Minerals are essential nutrients and are used in more than a hundred roles in maintaining our body from converting food to energy to helping in repairing the damaged cells.
Quick Facts
Here we have a list of interesting facts for your ready reference.
Oxides are classified as amphoteric, neutral, acidic, or basic based on their acid-base characteristics.
Georgius Agricola is the father of mineralogy and mineralogists are the scientists who study minerals.
Geologists are scientists who study the planets and solid matters like minerals, rocks, and minerals.
Basaltic, andesitic and rhyolitic are the three basic types of magma having different mineral compositions.
The oscillators for watches, clocks, radios, televisions, electronic games, and many types of equipment are made with billions of quartz.
Quartz is a very common mineral made of oxygen and silicon.
The red cinnabar is a mineral with a chemical composition of HgS; people have been using it as a pigment and carved it into jewelry and ornament boxes for thousands of years in various corners of the world.
Liquid water comprises three atoms, namely two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom; hence is also referred to as H2O.
Sea salt and table salt have the same essential nutritious value, but sea salt is less processed and retains trace minerals. The chemical makeup of salt is NaCl.
FAQs
What is a mineral made of?
Minerals are solid substances with a crystal structure, and a natural inorganic compound made up of chemical elements composed of atoms.
Is water a mineral?
Water being liquid is not considered a mineral, however, ice can be regarded as a mineral if it naturally occurs.
What are minerals used for?
Minerals are used for many essential purposes like making enzymes, hormones in constructing roads, human nutrition, and many more.
What minerals do we use every day?
Minerals like iron, manganese, selenium, and calcium are required for our body and provide day-to-day nutrients to our body.
Where are minerals found?
Minerals are generally found in some metamorphic rocks, and some are also found in igneous rocks and sedimentary rocks.
How many minerals do humans need?
The minerals required by humans will depend on age and gender, starting from 0.04 oz (1,000 mg) per day.
How do we discover minerals?
The first step towards the extraction process of minerals starts with finding the location of mineral deposits using satellite images and geochemical surveys.
What is the most used mineral in the world?
Coal is one of the most used minerals in the world.
What is the most important mineral on Earth?
The Importance of a mineral will depend upon the purpose it is used for; however, the most common mineral found on Earth’s crust is feldspar, followed by quartz.
What would happen if there were no minerals?
Deficiencies in minerals can lead to health problems, and industries would collapse.
What is the oldest mineral found on Earth?
The oldest terrestrial mineral found on Earth’s crust is called Zircons.
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Aashita DhingraBachelors in Business Administration
Based in Lucknow, India, Aashita is a skilled content creator with experience crafting study guides for high school-aged kids. Her education includes a degree in Business Administration from St. Mary's Convent Inter College, which she leverages to bring a unique perspective to her work. Aashita's passion for writing and education is evident in her ability to craft engaging content.
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