Claire Han Learning Objective Activity #1
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Geology
Date
Jan 9, 2024
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Learning Objective Activity #1
Name: Claire Han
Student Number: 46606695
Insert your LOA question below:
Describe the difference between major, minor, and trace elements in minerals. Give
an example of a mineral of all three components that is not olivine.
Type your answer below (between 250 and 500 words):
The components that make up a mineral can be categorised into three main groups
according to their respective quantities: major, minor, and trace elements.
Major elements, as the name suggests, play an essential role in a mineral’s crystal
structure and significantly influence the overall properties, such as colour, hardness,
and cleavage. These elements are typically present in relatively high concentrations
within the mineral; sometimes up to nearly 100% of the total content! Major elements
are always included in the chemical formula as they are the main composition of the
mineral. Silicon (Si) and oxygen (O) are two of the most abundant major elements on
Earth, both prevalent in silicate minerals.
Common substitutions for these major elements in a mineral are
minor
elements,
which are found in relatively small amounts. Keep in mind: they are only able to
replace them if the elements have a similar ionic radius and charge! The type and
concentration of minor elements in a mineral can vary widely, depending on the
mineral's formation environment. Some factors that can influence which minor
elements are incorporated into the crystal lattice are geological conditions,
temperature, pressure, and the presence of certain fluids. Unlike major elements,
minor elements can be difficult to recognize from the mere chemical formula as they
are sometimes omitted.
Finally, trace elements are present only in very minute amounts, often less than 0.1%
of the total composition. Their role is to either replace a major element or exist in
“holes” of the mineral structure. A common example of trace elements are
chromophores (
Figure 1)
, which are responsible for the minerals’ colorations.
Despite existing in such small amounts, some other properties that can be influenced
by trace elements are luminescence, magnetism, and electrical conductivity.
Figure 1
Figure 1, Different chromophores in a single molecule (
Angewandte Chemie International Edition,
Jan.15, 2020
)
An example of a mineral containing all three types of elements is
apatite
(
Figure 2)
,
usually written as Ca5(PO4)3(F,Cl,OH). The major elements of apatite are calcium
(Ca), phosphorus (P), and oxygen (O).Minor elements include fluorine (F) and
chlorine (Cl), and trace elements vary depending on the geological location of
formation. These brittle minerals are often found in smaller sizes, and break by both
fracture and cleavage.
Figure 2
Figure 2, Small greenish yellow apatite crystals, (
geology.com
,
n.d
.)
List the references other than the course content that you used below. Use the
APA
reference and citation style
.
Candela, Philip A. “Granite: Definition, Classification, Physical Chemistry, and
Petrogenesis.”
Department of Geology
,
www.geol.umd.edu/~candela/granite.html#:~:text=The%20chemical%20composi
tion%20of%20granite,and%20titania%20(TiO2). Accessed 4 Oct. 2023.
Hickman, Daniel. “Different Chromophores in a Single Molecule Take Turns.”
ChemistryViews
, 22 Apr. 2022,
www.chemistryviews.org/details/ezine/11211902/Different_Chromophores_in_a_
Single_Molecule_Take_Turns/
.
King, Hobart M. “Apatite, Phosphorite and Phosphate Rock.”
Geology.Com
,
geology.com/minerals/apatite.shtml. Accessed 5 Oct. 2023.
McIntire, W. L. “Trace Element Partition Coefficients-a Review of Theory and
Applications to Geology.”
Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta
, Pergamon, 14
Apr. 2003, www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0016703763900498.
Mermut, Ahmet R. “BASELINE STUDIES OF THE CLAY MINERALS SOCIETY
SOURCE CLAYS: CHEMICAL ANALYSES OF MAJOR ELEMENTS.”
Pubs.Geoscienceworld.Org
, 1 Oct. 2001,
pubs.geoscienceworld.org/ccm/article-abstract/49/5/381/48160/BASELINE-STU
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DIES-OF-THE-CLAY-MINERALS-SOCIETY.