More Information
A mineral is defined as any naturally occurring inorganic (non-biological) solid that has an orderly crystalline structure and a well-defined chemical composition.
- A mineral must occur naturally; a synthetic diamond is not considered a mineral.
- A mineral must be solid.
- A mineral should have a repetitive atomic structure.
The chemical make-up of the mineral should be consistent (although it may vary a little between samples).
There is one exception where minerals may be of organic (biological) origin. This is where marine animals excrete calcium carbonate (calcite) making shells and coral reefs.
A rock is an aggregate of mainly minerals and mineral-like matter.
Rocks may be of organic origin, e.g. coal.
Some rocks can be composed of just one mineral, while others may contain many minerals. The latter are the most common.
In an aggregate, the materials retain their own properties. For this reason, rocks can usually be identified by the minerals that they contain, and the properties of rocks are determined by those minerals.
Before learning further about rocks and minerals it is important to understand something about the building blocks that make up rocks and minerals.
- Atoms – An atom is a basic unit of matter. An atom consists of a nucleus (made up of protons and neutrons) surrounded by an orbit of negatively charged electrons.
- Element – An element is a pure substance that cannot be broken down into other substances. You will be familiar with many elements such as Copper, Aluminium and Oxygen. Basically, an element is made up of atoms of the same type. For  example: Oxygen is made up only of oxygen atoms.
- Compound – A compound is a combination of two or more elements. For example: water is made up of Hydrogen and Oxygen.
The manner in which atoms bond (join together) determines what type of compound is formed. There are three main types of chemical bonding:
- Ionic Bonding: This is simply where one atom donates at electron(s) to another atom.
- Covalent Bonding: In covalent bonding the atoms share the electron(s).
- Metallic Bonding: Electrons are shared in a lattice.
It is important to understand this because many of the properties of minerals and rocks are determined by their chemical structure.
MINERALS
Properties
Minerals are solids formed by inorganic (non-biological) processes. They each have an exact crystalline structure. The mineral’s chemical structure may be exact or inexact. Each mineral belongs to a crystal structure group and these are classified according to how the atoms of the minerals are arranged.
Naturally occurring elements are also considered minerals. Minerals are easily recognised by their unique physical properties. The properties to look for when identifying minerals are:
- Crystal form – the shape resulting from the orderly arrangement of atoms. This is also known as habit. Most minerals will have only one shape or habit; some have two or more known crystal shapes. Other minerals however, do not form crystals but still have a shape that can be used for identification. They may grow in all directions equally or their shape may be determined by suppression in one or more areas.
- Lustre – the quality of light reflected from the surface. Lustre might be metallic, however most minerals have a non-metallic lustre and can be described as either glassy, silky (satin-like), dull (sometimes called earthy), greasy (look as though they are coated in oil) etc.
- Colour – while being the most obvious property of a mineral, colour is of limited usefulness in identification. This is due to two reasons: impurities will change the colour of a mineral tinting it black, pink, yellow etc.; some minerals can also have a range of hues occurring within the same sample.
- Ability to transmit light – if a mineral does not transmit light it is said to be opaque; if the mineral transmits light (but not an image) it is described as translucent. If light and an image is visible it is transparent.
- Streak – the colour of a streak drawn when the mineral is rubbed across unglazed porcelain. It is much more reliable than colour, for it does not vary nearly as much, even when the colour of the mineral is variable between samples. This property is useful for determining between metallic and non-metallic lustres. A metallic lustre will show a dark, thick streak, while non-metallic minerals will have a light coloured streak. Be aware that if a mineral is harder than the streak plate (the porcelain) it will not leave a streak.
- Hardness – resistance to abrasion or scratching. Rub the mineral against a mineral of known hardness to determine it position on the Mohs hardness scale. A piece of glass has a hardness of 5.5, and a fingernail has a hardness of 2.5.
The Mohs scale arranges ten minerals from softest to hardest:…
FAQ
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Here is a list of the most often asked FAQ’s.
General
Q. Why should I enrol with the Academy for Distance Learning?
A. Here at ADL, our students are our priority – we treat everyone as a unique individual.
Q. Do I need to buy text books?
A. No, as each module has been written by highly qualified industry professionals. The content of the material is presented in such a way that text books are not required. However, if you require additional reading your tutor will be able to supply a list.
Q. What happens if I have to stop studying for a while? (eg. become sick, go on holidays, have a baby, move house, etc)
A. It’s OK to take a break and start up your study at a later point in time. Just let us know.
Q. Is there an age limit?
A. There is no maximum age limit. We do however, have a minimum age limit of 18 years. Below that age parental consent would be required.
Q. Are your courses up-to date?
A. Our courses are revised and updated on a rotation system.
Q. Do you have a Cancellation policy?
A. Yes. We have a cancellation policy that is fair and equitable. For further details please click here.
Q. Will I have any opportunity to engage with other students?
A. We have a Student Community group based on facebook! If you don’t have a facebook account already, you could make one just for talking with fellow students on the group.
Enrolment
Q. When can I enrol/start?
A. You may enrol and start at any time of the year – it’s all self- paced.
Q. Can I study from anywhere in the world?
A. Our courses are available to anyone, anywhere in the world from the comfort of your own home. The course content is relevant to any country, culture or economy.
Q. How long do I have to complete the course?
A. You complete the course at any time that is convenient for you.
Q. Completing a 100 hour module – how long will it take?
A. For some students a 100 hour module will take approximately to 3- 6 months to complete. Others take less time and some even longer.
Assessment
Q. Assessment – how does it work?
A. For each 100 hour module you are assessed by assignments (at the end of each lesson) and a final one and a half hour exam (or you may elect to complete a Project, instead of sitting the exam) – the choice is yours – you sit for the exam in your own location.
Q. I don’t cope well with exams – what can I do?
A. You may elect to undertake a Project (set by your tutor) instead of sitting the exam. Projects are completed from your home and can usually take a couple of weeks to complete.
Q. If my assignment is not up to standard is there an opportunity to resubmit my work?
A. Yes –
Q. How many assignments do I need to complete for each module?
A. At the end of each lesson, there is an assignment – so if a course has say, 10 lessons, there would be 10 assignments.
Q. I am having difficulty attending workshops/industry meetings, what can be done?
A. If your course requires attendance at workshops, conferences, or industry meetings; alternative arrangements can be made in your country.
Qualifications
Q. What qualification will I receive?
A. For individual modules, you would be awarded a Certificate endorsed by TQUK (Training Qualifications, UK), providing you complete all assignments and the exam. If you just want to complete only the assignments and not sit for the exam or finish a Project, then a Letter of Achievement would be awarded. For more details on qualifications available please click here.
Q. Can I customize my diploma/higher qualification?
A. Not all educational institution’s certificates /diplomas meet everyone’s needs. The opportunity to Design Your Own Diploma at the Academy (subject to our approval) is an added bonus, not found at other colleges. You choose modules that you think will help you in achieving your goal.
Q. What do I get when I complete the course? Will I receive a transcript?
A. At the completion of all courses and providing all assignments and exam requirements have been met, you will receive your Award and a Transcript.
Tutors
Q. Our tutors – who are they?
A. We appoint Tutors and require that they must be currently active in their industry, with at least 5 years’ experience in their chosen profession.
Q. Can I contact my tutor at any time?
A. Yes – you have unlimited access to your tutor via email through our Online Classroom. You can always leave a message with ADL requesting your tutor to contact you. You decide on how much or how little contact you wish to have.
Q. Practical work – How is this done?
A. To find out more about this part of the course please visit the section on How Our Courses Work here.
