Mineralogy studies minerals and their properties, including formation and uses. Ancient civilizations theorized about minerals, but modern mineralogy has expanded with advances in other sciences. The Mohs scale measures mineral hardness. Over 4,000 minerals are known, with only 150 found in large quantities and some being essential for health and building materials.
Mineralogy is a branch of earth sciences that deals with the study of minerals and their physical and chemical properties. Within mineralogy there are also those who study how minerals are formed, where they are found geographically, as well as their potential uses. Like many sciences, mineralogy has its origins in several ancient civilizations and has been primarily concerned with the various methods of classifying minerals for much of its history. Modern mineralogy has been expanded by advances in other sciences, such as biology and chemistry, to shed even more light on the nature of the materials that make up the earth we live on.
The ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle was one of the first to theorize extensively about the origins and properties of minerals. His ideas were new and advanced for the time, but he and his contemporaries were largely incorrect in their assumptions. For example, in ancient Greece it was a widely held belief that the mineral asbestos was a kind of vegetable. However, these ancient theories provided a starting point for the evolution of mineralogy as we know it. It was only in the 16th century that mineralogy began to take on a form that is recognizable to us, thanks in large part to the work of the German scientist Georgius Agricola.
The simplest way to study and classify minerals is by their physical attributes. These can include the microscopic structure of mineral crystals, the way the mineral cracks when struck, and its hardness. The Mohs scale of mineral hardness describes this particular property.
At the low end of the Mohs scale, soft graphite used in pencils scores a one in ten, while a diamond, the hardest earthy substance, scores a ten. Interestingly, both of these minerals are made of the same element, namely carbon. The differences in hardness and appearance are due only to the difference in how the individual atoms are arranged.
There are over 4,000 different types of known minerals. Most of these are classified as rare or extremely rare, and only about 150 are found in large quantities. Another 50 to 100 are found only occasionally. Not only do minerals make up a large part of the earth’s crust, but many are essential for good health. Many types also supply us with important building materials and components for some types of machinery.
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