The Earth's outer solid layer, the lithosphere, is made of rock. In general rocks are of three
types, namely, igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic. The scientific study of rocks is called
petrology, and petrology is an essential component of geology.
Metamorphic Rock, rock which has had its original composition and texture altered by heat and
pressure deep within the Earth's crust. Metamorphism that is a result of both heat
and pressure is referred to as dynamothermal, or regional; metamorphism produced
by the heat of an intrusion of igneous rock is termed thermal, or contact.
Igneous Rock, rock formed when molten or partially molten material, called magma, cools and
solidifies. Igneous rocks are one of the three main types of rocks; the other types
are sedimentary rocks and metamorphic rocks. Of the three types of rocks, only
igneous rocks are formed from melted material. The two most common types of
igneous rocks are granite and basalt. Granite is light colored and is composed of
large crystals of the minerals quartz, feldspar, and mica. Basalt is dark and
contains minute crystals of the minerals olivine, pyroxene, and feldspar.
These are the physical properties most useful for mineral identification:
• Luster - is a description of the way light interacts with the surface of a crystal
• Fracture - a description of the way a mineral tends to break. It is different from cleavage
and parting which are generally clean flat breaks along specific directions.
• Hardness - one measure of the strength of the structure of the mineral relative to the
strength of its chemical bonds
• Streak - closely related to color, but is a different property because the color of the
mineral may be different than the color of the streak.
• Associated Minerals -
• Notable Localities
Below is a list of some coloring elements and the color they produce in at least one
mineralCobalt, Co, produces the violet-red color in erythrite, (cobalt arsenic sulfide).
• Chromium, Cr, produces the color orange-red color of crocoite, (lead chromate).
• Copper, Cu, produces the azure blue color of azurite, (copper carbonate hydroxide).
• Iron, Fe, produces the red color of limonite, (hydrated iron oxide hydroxide).
• Nickel, Ni, produces the green color of annabergite, (hydrated nickel arsenate).
• Uranium, U, produces the yellow color of zippeite, (hydrated potassium uranyl sulfate
hydroxide).