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The Mohs Hardness Scale is the main scale to measure mineral hardness. Finger nail is 2.5, copper coin is 3.5, glass is 5.5 and steel is 6.5. Hardness scale is Talc is 1, Gypsum is 2, Calcite is 3, Fluorite is 4, Apatite is 5, Orthoclase Feldspar is 6, Quartz is 7, Topaz is 8, Corundum is 9 and Diamond is 10.
Mineralogy applies principles of chemistry, geology, physics and materials science to the study of minerals. Mineralogy [n 1] is a subject of geology specializing in the scientific study of the chemistry, crystal structure, and physical (including optical) properties of minerals and mineralized artifacts. Specific studies within mineralogy ...
The basic level of definition is that of mineral species, each of which is distinguished from the others by unique chemical and physical properties. For example, quartz is defined by its formula, SiO 2, and a specific crystalline structure that distinguishes it from other minerals with the same chemical formula (termed polymorphs). When there ...
Mineralogy is a subject of geology specializing in the scientific study of the chemistry, crystal structure, and physical (including optical) properties of minerals and mineralized artifacts. Specific studies within mineralogy include the processes of mineral origin and formation, classification of minerals, their geographical distribution, as ...
Hardness may be difficult to determine, or may be misleading or meaningless, if a material is a mixture of two or more substances; for example, some sources have assigned a Mohs hardness of 6 or 7 to granite but it is a rock made of several minerals, each with its own Mohs hardness (e.g. topaz-rich granite contains: topaz — Mohs 8, quartz ...
Normative mineralogy is an estimate of the mineralogy of the rock. It usually differs from the visually observable mineralogy, at least as much as the types of mineral species, especially amongst the ferromagnesian minerals and feldspars, where it is possible to have many solid solution series of minerals, or minerals with similar Fe and Mg ratios substituting, especially with water (e.g ...
Examples include: rubidium, barium, uranium, and lanthanum. Compatible elements are depleted in the crust and enriched in the mantle, with examples nickel and titanium. Forsterite olivine, a magnesium iron silicate mineral formed in Earth's upper mantle. Compatibility is commonly described by an element's distribution coefficient.
In 2013, analytical tests by the Curiosity rover found results consistent with the presence of smectite clay minerals on the planet Mars. [22] [23] [24] Illite group which includes the clay-micas. Illite is the only common mineral in this group. [21] Chlorite group includes a wide variety of similar minerals with considerable chemical variation ...