THE GEOSPHERE: Rocks and minerals

UNIT 6

THE GEOSPHERE:ROCKS AND MINERALS

Start

UNIT 6: THE GEOSPHERE: ROCKS AND MINERALS

0. Introduction

3. Components of the geosphere: rocks

1. The Earth and its geosphere

4. Geosphere resources and humans

2. Components of the geosphere: minerals

UNIT 6: THE GEOSPHERE: ROCKS AND MINERALS

0: Introduction

GEORGIUS AGRICOLA

Questions 1 and 2 (page 134).

3. Why do you think that in Agricola's time mining was considered a vulgar activity?

4. What disciplines did Georgius Agricola study at university before becoming interested in geology and mining?

5. Agricola said that mining was more than just breaking stones, what three aspects does he mention are necessary in this field?

6. What was the connection between Agricola's work as a doctor and his research on mining?

7. What was Agricola's most important work, and what information did it contain about rocks and minerals?

8. How do you think Agricola's discoveries changed the perception of mining and metallurgy in the future?

UNIT 6: THE GEOSPHERE: ROCKS AND MINERALS

0: Introduction

GEORGIUS AGRICOLA

A miner's diary

Imagine you are a 16th century miner working in a silver mine in the region where Agricola lived. Write a short diary in which you tell about a typical day at work. Make sure you mention the difficulties you face and what tools you use and think about how you might see Georgius Agricola in your daily life.

UNIT 6: THE GEOSPHERE: ROCKS AND MINERALS

1: The Earth and its geosphere

1. The Earth and its geosphere

1.1. The structure of the geosphere

1.2. The importance of the geosphere

UNIT 6: THE GEOSPHERE: ROCKS AND MINERALS

1: The Earth and its geosphere

1.1. The STRUCTURE OF THE geosphere

The geosphere is the solid part of our planet. It is an almost spherical ball with a radius of 6371 km.

It's more or less the distance from Madrid to Miami.

UNIT 6: THE GEOSPHERE: ROCKS AND MINERALS

1: The Earth and its geosphere

1.1. The STRUCTURE OF THE geosphere

The Earth is not all solid and it's made of different concentric layers!

They have different compositions and states.

UNIT 6: THE GEOSPHERE: ROCKS AND MINERALS

1: The Earth and its geosphere

1.1. The STRUCTURE OF THE geosphere

THE CRUST

THE MANTLE

THE OUTER CORE

THE INNER CORE

UNIT 6: THE GEOSPHERE: ROCKS AND MINERALS

1: The Earth and its geosphere

1.1. The STRUCTURE OF THE geosphere

THE CRUST

THE LITOSPHERE

THE MANTLE

UNIT 6: THE GEOSPHERE: ROCKS AND MINERALS

1: The Earth and its geosphere

1.2. The IMPORTANCE OF THE geosphere

It is the base for the hydrosphere and the atmosphere.

It is the physical environment where most living beings have their home.

The crust is a source of natural resources.

NOT RENEWABLE

UNIT 6: THE GEOSPHERE: ROCKS AND MINERALS

1: The Earth and its geosphere

1.2. The IMPORTANCE OF THE geosphere

How the Earth's layer formed

The layers of the Earth get denser and denser the closer to the centre of the Earth you get

Let's do an experiment to "create" the layers of the Earth!

UNIT 6: THE GEOSPHERE: ROCKS AND MINERALS

1: The Earth and its geosphere

The Earth’s solid part, the geosphere, is made up of three parts and each one of them has unique characteristics. Classify these characteristics based on the layer they correspond to.

What do you remember?

THE CRUST

It makes up over 80% of the volume of the geosphere

The layer formed by solid but lightweight rocks

The thinnest layer

The innermost layer

THE MANTLE

It can be oceanic (10 km thick) or continental (70 km thick)

The middle layer

The densest layer

The outer part is liquid, and the inner part is solid

THE CORE

The layer formed by iron and nickel

UNIT 6: THE GEOSPHERE: ROCKS AND MINERALS

2: components of the geosphere: minerals

REVIEW ACTIVITY

2. COMPONENTS OF THE GEOSPHERE: MINERALS

Which layers can we find in the Earth?

UNIT 6: THE GEOSPHERE: ROCKS AND MINERALS

2: components of the geosphere: minerals

2. COMPONENTS OF THE GEOSPHERE: MINERALS

And... what layers can we find in the geosphere?

CORE

MANTLE

CRUST

What is the Earth's crust made of?

UNIT 6: THE GEOSPHERE: ROCKS AND MINERALS

2: components of the geosphere: minerals

How much do you know about minerals?

Say which of the following statements on minerals are true and which are false.

1. Minerals are solid and organic, since many minerals come from living beings

2. They are of natural origin

3. They have a defined chemical composition: each mineral has a formula

4. Their atoms are arranged in the form of a laminar structure

5. The most abundant minerals are silicate minerals, formed by silicon and oxygen

UNIT 6: THE GEOSPHERE: ROCKS AND MINERALS

2: components of the geosphere: minerals

How much do you know about mineral properties?

Depending on the chemical composition and structure of minerals, they have different properties. Do you know what each property corresponds to?

SURFACE COLOUR

How resistant the mineral’s surface is to scraching

Some minerals are always the same in this respect, but many have a variety, such as quartz

CLEAVAGE

LUSTRE

The appearance of the surface of the mineral then it reflects light

It can be irregular o regular, with faces, edges and vertexes

HARDNESS

When a mineral breaks in a regular way, along planes or into polyhedral shapes

CRYSTAL HABIT

UNIT 6: THE GEOSPHERE: ROCKS AND MINERALS

2: components of the geosphere: minerals

3. COMPONENTS OF THE GEOSPHERE: ROCKS

A rock is a natural aggregate formed by one or more minerals or by fragments of other pre-existing rocks.

The properties of rocks are the characteristics that allow it to be identified. These depends on the way that the rock was formed.

APPEARANCE IN NATURE

COMPOSITION

TEXTURE

UNIT 6: THE GEOSPHERE: ROCKS AND MINERALS

2: components of the geosphere: minerals

3. COMPONENTS OF THE GEOSPHERE: ROCKS

APPEARANCE IN NATURE

UNIT 6: THE GEOSPHERE: ROCKS AND MINERALS

2: components of the geosphere: minerals

3. COMPONENTS OF THE GEOSPHERE: ROCKS

APPEARANCE IN NATURE

UNIT 6: THE GEOSPHERE: ROCKS AND MINERALS

2: components of the geosphere: minerals

3. COMPONENTS OF THE GEOSPHERE: ROCKS

APPEARANCE IN NATURE

UNIT 6: THE GEOSPHERE: ROCKS AND MINERALS

2: components of the geosphere: minerals

3. COMPONENTS OF THE GEOSPHERE: ROCKS

COMPOSITION

UNIT 6: THE GEOSPHERE: ROCKS AND MINERALS

2: components of the geosphere: minerals

3. COMPONENTS OF THE GEOSPHERE: ROCKS

TEXTURE

UNIT 6: THE GEOSPHERE: ROCKS AND MINERALS

2: components of the geosphere: minerals

3. COMPONENTS OF THE GEOSPHERE: ROCKS

TEXTURE

UNIT 6: THE GEOSPHERE: ROCKS AND MINERALS

2: components of the geosphere: minerals

3. COMPONENTS OF THE GEOSPHERE: ROCKS

THE CLASSIFICATION OF ROCKS

Detrital

SEDIMENTARY ROCKS

Conglomerates

Clay

Non-detrital

Gypsum

Limestone

UNIT 6: THE GEOSPHERE: ROCKS AND MINERALS

2: components of the geosphere: minerals

3. COMPONENTS OF THE GEOSPHERE: ROCKS

THE CLASSIFICATION OF ROCKS

Foliated

METAMORPHIC ROCKS

Slate

Gneiss

Non-foliated

Quartzite

Marble

UNIT 6: THE GEOSPHERE: ROCKS AND MINERALS

2: components of the geosphere: minerals

3. COMPONENTS OF THE GEOSPHERE: ROCKS

THE CLASSIFICATION OF ROCKS

Granite

Plutonic

IGNEOUSROCKS

Volcanic

Basalt

UNIT 6: THE GEOSPHERE: ROCKS AND MINERALS

2: components of the geosphere: minerals

3. COMPONENTS OF THE GEOSPHERE: ROCKS

USES OF ROCKS

Ornamental rocks

Industrial rocks

UNIT 6: THE GEOSPHERE: ROCKS AND MINERALS

2: components of the geosphere: minerals

4. GEOSPHERE RESOURCES AND HUMANS

DOWN

1. Fossil fuel that is extracted by drilling. 2. Pipes that are used to extract liquid or gaseous substances. 4. Digging to extract deposits.

ACROSS

3. Mining can be open-cast or ... 5. Part of the Earth’s crust where the extraction of a resource is profitable. 6. Surface extraction of rocks.

UNIT 6: THE GEOSPHERE: ROCKS AND MINERALS

2: components of the geosphere: minerals

4. GEOSPHERE RESOURCES AND HUMANS

Formation of coal

Formation of petroleum

UNIT 6: THE GEOSPHERE: ROCKS AND MINERALS

2: components of the geosphere: minerals

4. GEOSPHERE RESOURCES AND HUMANS

UNIT 6: THE GEOSPHERE: ROCKS AND MINERALS

2: components of the geosphere: minerals

UNIT 6: THE GEOSPHERE: ROCKS AND MINERALS

2: components of the geosphere: minerals

UNIT 6: THE GEOSPHERE: ROCKS AND MINERALS

2: components of the geosphere: minerals

UNIT 6: THE GEOSPHERE: ROCKS AND MINERALS

2: components of the geosphere: minerals

UNIT 6: THE GEOSPHERE: ROCKS AND MINERALS

2: components of the geosphere: minerals

UNIT 6: THE GEOSPHERE: ROCKS AND MINERALS

2: components of the geosphere: minerals

UNIT 6: THE GEOSPHERE: ROCKS AND MINERALS

2: components of the geosphere: minerals

UNIT 6: THE GEOSPHERE: ROCKS AND MINERALS

2: components of the geosphere: minerals