3^rd Global Geologists Annual Meeting

Mineralogy

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Mineralogy is the branch of geology concerned with the study of minerals. A mineral is a naturally occurring, homogeneous solid with a definite chemical composition and a highly ordered atomic structure. Crystallography, for example, is the study of the crystal lattice structure of minerals. The shape of the crystal, as well as how tightly packed the atoms are in the crystal, help determine the physical properties of the mineral. Crystal chemistry is the branch of mineralogy that deals with how the chemical composition of a mineral relates to its crystal structure.

Physical mineralogy is concerned with the physical properties and descriptions of minerals. Minerals can be described using several physical attributes, including hardness, specific gravity, luster, color, streak, and cleavage.