Minerals Study Guide

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Multiple Choice

Identify the letter of the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.

A mineral must be inorganic, which means that it contains

a.	compounds.
b.	materials made by humans.
c.	parts of living things.
d.	no materials that were once part of living things.

The color of a mineral’s powder is called its

a.	streak.
b.	luster.
c.	density.
d.	hardness.

If you broke a mineral into tiny pieces, each piece would

a.	still show the same crystal structure.
b.	have a different shape.
c.	be roughly the same size.
d.	be metallic.

A narrow channel or slab of a mineral that is different from the surrounding rock is called a

a.	vein.
b.	solution.
c.	crystal.
d.	metal.

Magma that cools very slowly deep beneath the surface forms minerals with what type of crystals?

a.	small
b.	large
c.	very hard
d.	cubic

A rock that contains a metal or other economically useful mineral is called a(n)

a.	ore.
b.	gem.
c.	gemstone.
d.	crystal.

A rare, colorful mineral with a brilliant luster and a hardness of 8 or 9 on the Mohs hardness scale would probably be used as a(n)

a.	alloy.
b.	pure metal.
c.	ore.
d.	gemstone.

Earthmoving equipment scrapes away soil to expose ore in the process of

a.	smelting.
b.	strip mining.
c.	shaft mining.
d.	scrape mining.

To restore land damaged by strip mining, mine operators

a.	fill the exposed areas with water.
b.	grade the surface and replace the soil.
c.	build houses where they mined.
d.	leave the damaged land for nature to restore.

10.

After miners remove ore from a mine, what process removes the metal from the ore?

a.	evaporation
b.	settling
c.	smelting
d.	crystallization

11.

Steelmakers add other elements to iron to make

a.	softer alloys.
b.	weaker alloys.
c.	alloys with special properties.
d.	more brittle alloys.

12.

Coal is NOT classified as a mineral because

a.	it is useful as a fuel.
b.	it comes from the remains of plants and animals.
c.	it is not valuable.
d.	it is part of Earth’s crust.

13.

The repeating pattern of a mineral’s particles forms a solid called a(n)

a.	crystal.
b.	element
c.	compound.
d.	rock.

14.

What do metal tools and machinery, the metal filament in a light bulb, and steel girders used to frame an office building all have in common?

a.	They are gems.
b.	They are magnetic.
c.	They are rare.
d.	They began as minerals inside Earth’s crust.

15.

What is the hardest known mineral?

a.	talc
b.	quartz
c.	diamond
d.	gold

16.

Which term refers to anyone who searches for an ore deposit?

a.	geologist
b.	prospector
c.	miner
d.	mineral specialist

17.

Most minerals do NOT split apart evenly. Instead, they have a characteristic type of

a.	cleavage.
b.	fracture.
c.	crystal.
d.	luster.

18.

Miners use earthmoving equipment to dig a huge hole in the process of

a.	smelt mining.
b.	open pit mining.
c.	shaft mining.
d.	prospecting.

19.

Which type of mine often has a network of tunnels that extend deep into the ground, following the veins of ore?

a.	strip mine
b.	open pit mine
c.	shaft mine
d.	vein mine

20.

The term used to describe how a mineral reflects light from its surface is

a.	fluorescence.
b.	streak.
c.	density.
d.	luster.

21.

Minerals can form deep inside Earth’s crust by

a.	cleavage and fracture.
b.	friction along faults.
c.	crystallization of melted materials.
d.	evaporation of ancient seas.

22.

Minerals may form on Earth’s surface when

a.	magma heats a solution.
b.	crystallization is delayed.
c.	solutions evaporate.
d.	pure metals are present.

23.

A solid mixture of two or more metals is called a(n)

a.	gemstone.
b.	precious mineral.
c.	ore.
d.	alloy.

24.

When steelmakers add chromium and nickel to iron, the result is

a.	stronger steel.
b.	rust-resistant steel.
c.	steel that melts easily.
d.	steel mixed with slag.

25.

Halite is a mineral formed by

a.	crystallization of hot water solutions on the ocean floor.
b.	cooling of magma.
c.	evaporation.
d.	cooling of lava.

26.

Metals are useful for tools because they

a.	are compounds.
b.	have a metallic luster.
c.	are hard yet can be easily shaped.
d.	are elements.

27.

Although cement, brick, steel, and glass all come from substances found in Earth’s crust, they are NOT classified as minerals because

a.	they are organic.
b.	they are not naturally occurring.
c.	they are too hard.
d.	they have many uses.

28.

When geologists say that a mineral always contains certain elements in definite proportions, they mean that the mineral

a.	is a rock-forming mineral.
b.	has no crystal structure.
c.	has a definite chemical composition.
d.	is a solid.

Use the diagram to answer each question.

29.

What would happen if you rubbed a piece of fluorite against a piece of feldspar?_________________________________

a.	They would react to produce a new substance - fluspar	c.	The fluorite would be scratched but the feldspar would not be scratched
b.	The feldspar would be scratched but the fluorite would not be scratched	d.	They would react to produce a new substance - feldite

30.

What would you expect to happen if you rubbed a mineral of hardness 7.5 against a piece of quartz?__________________

a.	They would react to produce a electrical spark	c.	The mineral of hardness 7.5 would be scratched but the quartz would not be scratched
b.	The quartz would be scratched	d.	The softer substance would leave a streak on the quartz

31.

If an unknown mineral has a hardness between 5 and 9, what could you do to the mineral to find out more about its hardness?

a.	put the mineral in a strong basic solution	c.	try scratching it with feldspar, quartz, and talc
b.	Try running an electrical current through the sample	d.	try scratching it with feldspar, quartz, and topaz

32.

Which minerals in the table will scratch quartz?______

a.	topaz, corundum, and diamond	c.	feldspar, corundum, and diamond
b.	topaz, corundum, and apatite	d.	none are sharp enough to scratch quartz

33.

An unknown mineral scratches apatite and is scratched by corundum. What can you conclude about this mineral’s hardness?

a.	Its hardness is greater than 5 but less than 8.	c.	Its hardness is greater than but less than 9.
b.	Its hardness is greater than 5 but less than 9.	d.	Its hardness is greater than 4 but less than 8.

34.

The softest mineral on the Mohs hardness scale is

a.	quartz.
b.	talc.
c.	apatite.
d.	gypsum.

Use the diagram to answer each question.

35.

Describe how minerals form in diagram A

a.	Mud seeps through cracks in the crust and becomes heated by contact with magma. The heated mud melts and pours out of chimneys. When the mud is cooled by contact with the cold sea, minerals crystallize.
b.	Ocean water seeps through cracks in the mantle and becomes heated by contact with lava. The heated water dissolves minerals from the mantle, and billows out of chimneys. When the water is cooled by contact with the cold sea, minerals crystallize.
c.	Ocean water seeps through cracks in the crust and becomes heated by contact with magma. The heated water dissolves minerals from the crust, and billows out of chimneys. When the water is cooled by contact with the cold sea, minerals crystallize.
d.	Fresh water seeps through cracks in the mantle and is cooled by contact with magma. The cool water precipitates minerals from the crust, and billows out of chimneys. When the water billows out to the cold sea, minerals are carried out to the ocean floor..

36.

Describe how minerals form in diagram B.

a.	Magma becomes trapped below the surface and slowly heats up, releasing mineral in the form of crystals..
b.	Hot, liquid magma becomes trapped below the surface and quickly cools, forming mineral crystals.
c.	Hot, liquid lava becomes trapped below the surface and slowly cools, forming mineral crystals.
d.	Hot, liquid magma becomes trapped below the surface and slowly cools, forming mineral crystals.

37.

How would you expect the size of the mineral crystals in diagrams B and C to compare?

a.	The crystals in diagram B would be larger than those in diagram C because the crystals formed from magma would cool much more slowly than the crystals formed from lava
b.	The crystals in diagram B would be smaller than those in diagram C because the crystals formed from magma would cool much more slowly than the crystals formed from lava
c.	The crystals in diagram B would be the same size as those in diagram C because the crystals formed from magma would form the same size crystals as the crystals formed from lava
d.	You would have to know other conditions such as latitude and longitude to figure out which one would produce the larger crystals

38.

According to the scale below, which of these statements is true?

a.	Apatite can scratch fluorite.	c.	Calcite can scratch quartz.
b.	Corundum can scratch diamond.	d.	Quartz can scratch topaz.

39.

Titanium is used in automobiles, airplane wings, wheelchairs, and artificial body parts. According to this information, titanium probably has all of the following properties EXCEPT ____.

a.	durability	c.	high reactivity
b.	low density	d.	nontoxic

40.

Which of the minerals in the table below could have a glassy luster, a white streak, a clear color, and octahedral cleavage?

Mineral	Cleavage/ Fracture	Color	Streak	Luster
Biotite mica	Cleavage thin	Black to brown	Green	Glassy
Calcite	Cleavage rhombic	White to clear	White	Glassy
Fluorite	Cleavage octahedral	Purple to clear	White	Glassy
Galena	Cleavage cubic	Silver to gray	Black	Metallic

a.	biotite mica	c.	fluorite
b.	calcite	d.	sylvite

41.

According to the table below, which mineral is most likely to be a clay?

Some Mineral Resources
And Their Uses
Mineral	Use
Hematite	Iron rods
Gypsum	Plaster
Sylvite	Fertilizer
Kaolinite	Pottery

a.	gypsum	c.	hematite
b.	kaolinite	d.	sylvite

Modified True/False

Indicate whether the sentence or statement is true or false. If false, change the identified word or phrase to make the sentence or statement true.

42.

A mineral with a hardness of 6 will scratch a mineral with a hardness of more than 6.

43.

Minerals come from organic materials.

44.

Halite crystals form when a solution of water and salt condenses.

45.

An ore that is near the surface is removed by strip mining.

46.

The process of prospecting involves mixing an ore with other substances and heating the mixture to a very high temperature.

47.

The mineral quartz, which is found in sand, is used to make glass and electronic equipment.

48.

A mineral that does not split apart evenly has the property of fracture.

49.

Iron is separated from oxygen by cooling iron ore.

50.

The faster magma cools, the smaller the mineral crystals form.

51.

A mineral must be formed by a manufactured process to be considered a mineral.

Completion

Complete each sentence or statement.

52.

A mineral is always a ____________________ because it has a definite volume and shape.

53.

The splitting of a mineral along flat surfaces is a property called ____________________.

54.

The atoms of a mineral are arranged in a repeating pattern to form a solid called a(n) ____________________.

55.

When the elements that form a mineral dissolve in hot water, they form a mixture called a(n) ____________________.

56.

The usefulness of minerals called ____________________ is that they can be stretched, hammered, or molded without breaking.

57.

You can roughly compare the ____________________ of two mineral samples of the same size by hefting them.

58.

The use of earthmoving equipment to dig a huge pit is called ____________________ mining.

59.

A solid mixture of two or more metals is a(n) ____________________.

60.

Minerals that are used for jewelry and decoration are called ____________________ .

61.

Geologists look for certain features on Earth’s surface when they search, or ____________________, for ore deposits.

62.

One way to identify a mineral is to rub it against a piece of unglazed tile to observe its ____________________.

63.

Gold is an example of a mineral that occurs as a(n) ____________________, which is composed of a single kind of atom.

64.

The process by which atoms are arranged to form a mineral with a crystal shape is called ____________________.

65.

Talcum powder is made from the very soft mineral ____________________.

66.

Miners remove ore deposits that occur in veins by digging ____________________ mines.

67.

Shiny minerals, such as galena, are said to have metallic ____________________.

68.

Lava at Earth’s surface or ____________________ below Earth’s surface cools and hardens to form mineral crystals.

69.

Most minerals chemically are ____________________, in which two or more elements combine.

70.

Rocks that contain a useful mineral that can be mined at a profit are called ____________________.

71.

Chromium and nickel are added to ____________________ to make steel that is resistant to rust.