Mineralogy: Understanding Minerals and Their Properties
Introduction
Mineralogy is the science responsible for the identification of cation minerals. It studies their properties, origin, and classification.
Minerals are bodies of solid matter in the soil that can appear in diverse forms, either isolated or as a fundamental component of rocks.
Minerals
A mineral is a natural, homogeneous substance of inorganic origin, chemically defined (within certain limits). It has specific properties and characteristics and generally has a crystalline structure.
Characteristics of Minerals
- Found in nature, i.e., not manufactured.
- Has a fixed geometrical structure; therefore, it is solid.
- Of inorganic nature; therefore, the shell of a mollusk is not a mineral, although it may contain minerals.
- Has a fixed chemical composition, but sometimes it can contain impurities that change its color.
A mineral is found in nature but forming within rocks.
Classifying Minerals
To classify minerals, it is important to observe a series of physical properties:
- Color: Some minerals can have a specific color when pure, while others may have different colors due to impurities.
- Streak Color: When a mineral is rubbed against a harder object, it leaves a powder with a characteristic color.
- Luster: It can be metallic, like iron, or non-metallic, like silky nacar.
- Refractive Index: (Only if it is a crystal) A ray of light passing through a crystal deviates at an angle characteristic of each mineral.
- Birefringence: Some mineral crystals divide a ray of light into two.
- Luminescence: Some minerals emit light when illuminated.
Importance of Minerals
Minerals have great importance due to their many applications in various fields of human activity. Modern industry depends directly or indirectly on minerals for manufacturing multiple products, from tools and computers to skyscrapers.
Some minerals are used practically as extracted, for example, sulfur, talc, and salts. Others, however, must undergo various processes to obtain the desired product, such as iron, copper, aluminum, tin, etc. Minerals constitute the source of obtaining different metals, the basis of modern civilization. From different types of quartz and silicates, glass is obtained. Nitrates and phosphates are used as fertilizer for agriculture. Building materials, such as plaster, are widely used in construction. Minerals classified as precious or semi-precious stones, such as diamonds, topaz, and rubies, are used in jewelry.
Minerals are a natural resource of great importance to a country’s economy. Many commercial products are minerals or are obtained from a mineral. Many elements from minerals are essential for life, present in living organisms in minimal quantities.