Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Examssofarsogood!Examswillbereturnedand
discussedafterallmakeupsarecompleted.
Minerals,PlummerChapter2
Whatisamineral?
Silicateminerals
Gemstones
Testyourdiamondbuyingskills
Whatisamineral?Thetraditionaldefinition
Naturallyoccurringsubstance
Solid
Inorganic
NOTE:manymineralsareproducedbyBOTHinorganicAND
biologicalprocesses(biomineralization).
Calciteshellsofmarineorganisms
Magnetitebacteria
Apatitebonesandteeth
Hasaspecificchemicalcomposition
Hasaspecificcrystalstructure,consistingofarepeating,
orderlypattern.
Hasasetofphysicalpropertiesthatarethesameforanyand
allsamplesofagivenmineral.
MineralorNotaMineral
Halite,NaCl?
Mineral
MineralorNotaMineral
Ice,H2O?
Mineral
LiquidH2O?
MineralorNotaMineral
Amber(C10H16O)?
MineralorNotaMineral
Pearls?
CrystalStructureisusuallythestickingpointformineral/notamineral
Crystallinityaregularlyrepeatingpattern
Basicelementofthepattern
Linearpattern(1dimensional)
1dimensionalpattern
WhatdoIgetifIputseveralchainssidebysideonthefloor?
2dimensionalpattern
MapView
WhatdoIgetifIstackthis2Dpatternoneontopoftheother
fromtheflooruptotheceiling?
3dimensionalpattern
Connectthecentersofthebluecirclescubicstructure
Plummeretal.,PhysicalGeology9thedition,McGrawHillInc,Fig2.02
NaCltablesalt
Sodium(Na)
Chlorine(Cl)
Plummeretal.,PhysicalGeology9thedition,McGrawHillInc,Fig2.02
NaClheldtogetherbyionicbond,whichiseasytobreak>cleavage
andhardness
Thebuildingblocksofminerals
A(paraphrased)questionfromSuperMillionaire
WhatisthemostabundantelementintheEarthscrust?
Element symbol
Oxygen
Silicon
O
Si
Aluminum
Iron
Al
Fe
Calcium
Ca
Na
Sodium
Potassium
Magnesium
8elementsmakeup
98.6%oftheEarthscrust.
Mg
Mainrockformingmineralgroups
Silicates
makeupthemajorityofcrustalrocks
buildingblockisSiO4tetrahedron
Oxides
composedonmetal+oxygen
Carbonates
importantcomponentofsedimentaryrocks
buildingblockisCO3ion
SiO44complexion
Agroupofionsthatissotightlyboundtogether
thattheyactlikeasingleunit.
Buildingblockofsilicateminerals
1siliconion+4oxygenions
arrangedinatriangularpyramid
Electricalchargeof4
Plummeretal.,PhysicalGeology9thedition,McGrawHillInc,Fig2.07
Silicatetetrahedron
SiO44
TetrahedronViewing
Toppoint
base
Viewfromthetop,
lookingdown.
Toppointof
tetrahedron
facingyou
Flatbaseoftetrahedron
facingyou.Toppoint
oftetrahedronpointing
awayfromyou.
Sideview
Nesosilicates(islandsilicates)
SiO44tetrahedronformsionicbondswithcationssuchasMg2+,Fe2+
Example:Olivine
Mg2SiO4Fosterite
2+
Mg2+orFe
Fe2SiO4Fayalite
(Mg,Fe)SiO4
Solidsolution
Olivine:nesosilicatestructure(islandsilicate)
WhyMgORFe?
Viewfromtheside(wallofstructure)
Samesize
Sameelectrical
charge
Peridot
Plummeretal.,PhysicalGeology9thedition,McGrawHillInc,Fig2.10
CornerSharingBasetoBase
sideview
O2
Si4+
3DSideView
S.Brachfeld2003
Inosilicicates:SingleChains(Pyroxene)
SiO3Chainformsionicbondswithcationsabovethetip
andbelowthebase
Boxedregionwhenviewfrom
HowmanySi
HowmanyO
2Si
6O
Standhere
lookupthechain
Plummeretal.,PhysicalGeology9thedition,McGrawHillInc,Fig2.11
Yellowtetrahedroninfront
Graybehindandtotheside
Cation,formingionic
bondwithtetrahedron
chain
Extraslide.Notshowninclass.Notforexams.Foryourinterest.
CornerSharingTiptoTip
O2
Si4+
FigurecourtesyofDonnaWhitney,UniversityofMinnesotaDept.Geology
Facesharing
Extraslide.Notshowninclass.Notforexams.Foryourinterest.
AssemblingaSingleChainSilicate(Pyroxene)
Buildxlinthisdirection
S.Brachfeld2003
Extraslide.Notshowninclass.Notforexams.Foryourinterest.
PyroxeneWheresthecleavage?
breakingatthemolecularscale
Whathumaneyes
seeatthemacroscale
90cleavage
S.Brachfeld2003
Extraslide.Notshowninclass.Notforexams.Foryourinterest.
Noroomtosubstitutelargecations
Thiswontwork.
Nogold,silver,oruranium
foundwithpyroxens.
Au
S.Brachfeld2003
DoubleChainSilicates(Amphibole)
PAIRofSiO4chainsthatlinkbycornersharingin2directions
Plummeretal.,PhysicalGeology9thedition,McGrawHillInc,Fig2.11
Extraslide.Notshowninclass.Notforexams.Foryourinterest.
Amphiboleformulaislong:lotsofspaceforsmall
andmediumcations
CationsincludeNa+,K+,Ca2+,Mn2+,
Fe2+,Mg2+,Fe3+,Al3+,Ti4+
Standhere
lookupthechain
Plummeretal.,PhysicalGeology9thedition,McGrawHillInc,Fig2.11
Extraslide.Notshowninclass.Notforexams.Foryourinterest.
60120CleavageinDoubleChainSilicates(Amphibole)(actually56124)
breakingatthemolecularscale
Whathumaneyessee
atthemacroscale
120
S.Brachfeld2003
WhatisJade?
Bothpryoxene
ANDamphibole
areJade.
Jadeite = NaAlSi2O6
Nephrite = Ca2(Mg,Fe)5Si8O22(OH)2
Jadeitebeads.Photoby
ShaneF.McClure,
1994,GemologicalInstituteofAmerica(GIA)
Other Jades
African jade: Green garnet
Amazon jade: Green K-feldspar
Indian jade: Green quartz
Asbestosgenericnameforfibrousamphibole
Plummeretal.,PhysicalGeology9thedition,McGrawHillInc,Box02.03.f1,photobyC.C.Plummer
RingSilicatesBeryl
Goldenberyl
heliordor
StackofSiO4rings,built
upoutoftheplaneofscreen
Aquamarine
SheetSilicatesMicaGroup(Muscovite,Biotite)andClayminerals
Everytetrahedronsharesallofitsbasalcorners.
SharinginONEPLANEONLY.TipsareNOTshared.
Plummeretal.,PhysicalGeology9thedition,McGrawHillInc,redrawnafterFigure2.9
Muscovite
Plummeretal.,PhysicalGeology9thedition,McGrawHillInc,Fig.2.14
Clayminerals:talc,kaolinite,illite,chlorite,montmorillonite
Youknowthembetteras:babypowder,kaopectate/nondairycreamer,
facialmask,soapstone,andkittylitter.
Maindifferenceionsthatmakeupthemiddleofthesandwich
Plummeretal.,PhysicalGeology9thedition,McGrawHillInc,Fig.2.19b
Catlitterinaction
Plummeretal.,PhysicalGeology9thedition,McGrawHillInc,Box02.04.f1
Quartz
Alloxygensareshared
Nocleavage.Covalentbonds
areequallystronginalldirections
Hardnessof7onMohsscale,
alsoduetocrystalstructure.
veryroomystructure.
Canaccommodatelargecations.
Gold,silveralwaysfoundwithquartz
ImagebySteveDutch,UniversityWisconsinGreenBay
Whatmakesamineralagem?
Gemstonesbeautiful,rare,durable
Fluoritegemornotagem?
www.mineralgalleries.com/fluorite
BirthstonesGemnames
Garnet
Amethyst
Turquoise
Topaz
Aquamarine
Diamond
Opal
Sapphire
Emerald
Peridot
Pearl
Ruby
Birthstones,2000GemologicalInstituteofAmerica,(GIA)
BirthstonesTherealnames!
Garnet
Quartz
Hydrous
copperphosphate
AlFsilicate
Beryl
Amorphous
quartz
Diamond
Corrundum
Beryl
Olivine
Pearl
Corrundum
Birthstones,2000GemologicalInstituteofAmerica,(GIA)
RubyandSapphireformsofCorundumAl2O3
RubyfromBurma,4.49ct.
CourtesyofPreciousGemResources,Inc.
PhotobyRobertWeldon.2002Gemological
InstituteofAmerica(GIA).
The 0.27 ct faceted sapphire stone was cut from a piece of rough from
deposit in the Ural Mountains of Russia. Photo by Maha Tannous.
1998 Gemological Institute of America (GIA).
Rubycorundumwithchromium
Sapphirecorundumwithironandtitanium
Aquickguidetobuyingdiamonds
Color
Cut
Clarity
Carat
Roughdiamonds.PhotobyRobertKane.GemologicalInstituteof
America(GIA).
Gemrare,beautiful,durable
Atypicaldiamonddeposityields~5gramsofdiamond
per1000kgofrockmined.
1.ColorWhichoneisthemostvaluable?
Near
colorless
Faint
yellow
VeryLight
yellow
Light
yellow
Fancy
yellow
creas
in
Colorless
Cost
in
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z
TheHopeDiamond
45carats
Possiblytherecut(4times)TavernierBlueDiamond,
whichwasreportedat112caratsintheyear1668.
2.Cut
Uppergirdlefacet
Bezelfacet
Table
Starfacet
Girdle
Lower
girdlefacet
Crown
Mainpavillion
CourtesyofJillianBanfield,UCBerkely,
Socrates.berkley.edu.eps2.wisc
CuttingDiamonds
Marshak,S.Earth,PortraitofaPlanet,W.W.Norton,Fig.5.26
Whyarediamondscutthisway?
Facetscontrolthepatoflighttravelingthroughthediamond.
Themorelightthatexitsthetop(crown),themoreitsparkles.
Patoflightinaroundbrilliantdiamond
ShallowCut
IdealCut
DeepCut
Imperfectionsinthecut
Othercommoncuts
GemologicalInstituteofAmerica(GIA)
3.Clarity
Arethereblemishesonthesurface,orinclusionsinside
thediamond?
4.Caratweight
1carat(ct.)=200milligrams
Bigdiamondsaremorerarethanlittlediamonds.
A2ctdiamondcostsmorethan2timesa1ct.diamond.
Note:caratweightNOTTHESAMEasgoldkarats.Goldismadeof24parts.
Karatsindicateshowmanyofthose24partsaregold.
14karatgold=14partsgold+10partsalloyingmetal(copper,nickel,silver)
18karatgold=18partsgold+6partsalloyingmetal.
Ismydiamondafake?!
SiliconCarbide(SiC)
Moissanite
ZirconiumOxide(ZrO2)
CubicZirconia
Extracreditforexam2:
Howcanyoutellthedifferencebetween
arealdiamondandoneofthesesubstitutes
Usingphysicalproperties?
Noteyouwillnotbeallowedtoleavethe
roomduringexam2toconsultanappraiser.