# data[].attributes.body
What are the main groups/categories of minerals?

Silicates: are the most common of Earth's minerals and include quartz, feldspar, mica, amphibole, pyroxene, and olivine.

Oxides: includes those minerals in which the oxide anion (O2−) is bonded to one or more metal ions

Sulfates: are salts of more than one metal, such as polyhalite, which is a combination of potassium, calcium, and magnesium sulfates.

Sulfides: The minerals that make up the sulfide class are composed of metal cations (+2 charge) combined with sulfur.

Carbonates:are those minerals containing the carbonate ion, CO₃2

Native Elements:  are those elements that occur in nature in uncombined form with a distinct mineral structure.

Halides: are formed by combining a metal with one of the five halogen elements, chlorine, bromine, fluorine, iodine, and astatine.

# data[].attributes.body
Physical properties:

Crystal structure and habit, noted above.

The physical hardness (scratch resistance) of a mineral is usually measured on the Mohs scale, which ranges from 1 to 10.Certain minerals have been chosen to define the scale, as given below.

1- talc

2- gypsum

3- calcite

4- fluorite

5- apatite

6- orthoclase feldspar

7- quartz

8- topaz

9- corundum

10- diamond

Luster indicates the way the mineral's surface interacts with light.

Metallic - high reflectivity like metal (e.g., galena)

Sub-metallic - slightly less than metallic reflectivity (e.g., magnetite)

Vitreous - the luster of broken glass (e.g., quartz)

Pearly - very soft light shown by some layer silicates (e.g., talc)

Silky - soft light shown by fibrous materials (e.g., gypsum)

Dull/earthy - shown by finely crystallized minerals (e.g., kidney ore variety of hematite).

# data[].attributes.body
MINERAL IDENTIFICATION A minerals identification key  can be used to compare the properties of minerals so that  unknown  mineral sample can =be  identified. Mineral properties that are often used in mineral identification keys are color, hardness, streak, luster, cleavage, and fracture. Hardness is determined  by a scratch test. The mohs hardness scale classifies minerals from 1 (soft) to 10 (hard). Streak is the color of a mineral is either metallic (having an appearance of metals) or nonmetallic. Cleavage is the tendency of a mineral to split along a plane.  Planes may be in several directions. Other minerals break into irregular fragments in a process called fracture.

# data[].attributes.body
Mineral Commodities in Industry

The construction industry is the largest consumer of mineral commodities.  Examples:

Crushed stone is used for foundations, road base, concrete, and drainage. Sand and gravel are used in concrete and foundations. Clays are used to make cement, bricks, and tile. Iron ore is used to make reinforcing rods, steel beams, nails, and wire.

2010 United States Mineral Commodity Consumption

Mineral Commodity             Millions of Metric Tons

Crushed Stone                      1,200.0

Sand and Gravel                      786.1

Salt                                                   55.8

Iron Ore                                   48.0

Phosphate Rock                       30.5

Gypsum                                   22.5

Clays                                               21.3

Dimension Stone                       14.0

Lime                                               18.5

Sulfur                                               11.30

Bauxite                                     8.4

Potash                                     5.6

Soda Ash                                     5.2

Barite                                     2.66

Copper                                    1.74

Lead                                                1.40

# data[].attributes.body
What are the minerals? A solid inorganic substance of natural occurrence.

Minerals are distinguished by various chemical and physical properties. Differences in chemical composition and crystal structure distinguish the various species. Within a mineral species there may be variation in physical properties or minor amounts of impurities that are recognized by mineralogists or wider society as a mineral variety.

To meet the definition of "mineral" used by most geologists, a substance must meet five requirements:

naturally occurring: means that people did not make it. Steel is not a mineral because it is an alloy produced by people.

Inorganic: the substance is not made by an organism.

Solid: it is not a liquid or a gas at standard temperature and pressure.

definite chemical composition:  all occurrences of that mineral have a chemical composition that varies within a specific limited range.

ordered internal structure: the atoms in a mineral are arranged in a systematic and repeating pattern.