| A | B |
|---|
| Mineral | A naturally occurring, inorganic solid that has a crystal structure and a definite chemical composition. |
| Inorganic | Not formed from living things or the remains of living things. |
| Streak | The color of a mineral’s powder. |
| Luster | The way a mineral reflects light from its surface. |
| Cleavage | A mineral’s ability to split easily along flat surfaces. |
| Fracture | The way a mineral looks when it breaks apart in an irregular way. |
| Mohs | A scale ranking ten minerals from softest to hardest; used in testing the hardness of minerals. |
| Crystallization | The process by which atoms are arranged to form a material with a crystal structure. |
| Solution | A mixture in which one substance is dissolved in another. |
| Vein | A narrow deposit of a mineral that is sharply different from the surrounding rock. |
| Gemstone | A hard, colorful mineral that has a brilliant or glassy luster and is valued for its appearance. |
| Ore | Rock that contains a metal or other economically useful mineral. |
| Smelting | The process by which ore is melted to separate the useful metal from other elements. |
