| A | B |
|---|
| mineral | a naturally formed inorganic solid with a crystalline structure |
| element | a pure substance that cannot be seperated or broken down into simpler substances by ordinary chemical means |
| atom | the smallest part of an element that has all of the properties of that element |
| compound | a pure substance made of two or more elements that have been chemically joined, or bonded together |
| crystal | the solid geometric form of a mineral produced by a repeating pattern of atoms |
| silicate mineral | a mineral that contains a combination of the elements silicon and oxygen |
| nonsilicate mineral | mineral that does not contain compounds of silicon and oxygen |
| luster | the way the surface of a mineral reflects light |
| streak | the color of a mineral in powdered form |
| cleavage | the tendancy of a mineral to break along flat surfaces |
| fracture | the tendency of a mineral to break along curved or irregular surfaces |
| hardness | the resistance of a mineral to being scratched |
| density | the amount of matter in a given space; mass per unit volume |
| ore | a mineral deposit large enough and pure enough to be mined for a profit |
| reclamation | the process of returning land to its original state after mining is completed |
