There are 5 main characteristics of a mineral. These characteristics of a mineral helps to identify various types of minerals.
Table of Contents
1. Well Defined Crystalline Structure
Mineral have a well defined crystalline structure. Crystals consists of atoms. These crystal have different size and shape. Normally, there are six shapes are exist.
Crystallines structures can develop in two different ways in minerals. The heated, molten rock that volcanoes produce, known as magma, can crystallize to create minerals.
When water deposits solutes in a specific location, minerals crystallize there as well. When the water evaporates, crystals form.
2. A Certain Chemical Composition
Mineral have a certain chemical compositions. Costly minerals such as gold and diamond only contain one particular type of element. Other types of minerals consist of silicates, which are made up of silicon and oxygen atoms.
Every mineral has a unique set of atoms that aren’t present in any other mineral. Sodium and chlorine ions, for instance, are bound together in a pattern to form the mineral salt.
Carbon is the only atom type that is present in diamonds. Diamonds are the hardest material on Earth due to the incredibly close chemical bonds formed between the carbon atoms, which are different from those that cause salt to form.
3. Minerals Are Available in Solid State
All the minerals are available in solid state. This property of minerals used to identify them. Solids have a distinct volume and shape, and their molecules can typically not be further compacted. Charged particles are joined together to form minerals. Mineral particles are immobile due to its state.
4. Minerals Doesn’t Contain Carbon
All the minerals are organic. It means they don’t contain carbon. All the available minerals on the earth are organic. These minerals don’t react when comes in contact with carbon.
Carbon is present in all biological materials. Carbon can also be found in inorganic materials, but it usually interacts with atoms other than hydrogen and does not create the same lengthy chains as it does in carbohydrates and lipids. The formation process of minerals is organic.
5. Minerals Are Natural
Minerals are purely natural substance. We can make artificial substances for alternative but they don’t come under the category of minerals.
Costly minerals like gold, silver and diamonds can not be made in the laboratory. Most of the artificial substances are oxidize when they comes contact with air. Minerals are extracted from the natural rocks.