What is the differance between a rock and a mineral?
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"A mineral is an element or chemical compound that is normally crystalline and that has been formed as a result of geological processes" (Nickel, E. H., 1995).\n\nA rock can be composed of lots of different minerals
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Metamorphic rocks are formed through pressure and heat. They change from one type of rock to another, literally.
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The two are very different minerals. \n\nGarnet describes a group of minerals, of the general formula of\nA3B2 (SiO4) 3  where A = Ca, Fe, etc, and B=Al, Cr, etc. Garnet comes in a variety of colors including red, black, brown, green, orange, pink, and colorless.  They are sometimes used as gemstones, but probably are more popular as a coating in high quality sandpaper and other abrasives. \n\nHere are some photos of different garnet minerals:\nhttp://www.galleries.com/minerals/silicate/garnets.htm\nTo see more data on the mineral properties go here:\nhttp://www.mindat.org/min-1651.html\n\nAquamarine is a blue gemstone variety of a mineral known as beryl. Beryl is Be3Al2Si6O18. Aquamarine and other varieties of beryl are much more popular as gemstones than garnet. Beryl also comes in green, blue, yellow, white, pink and other colors. Beryl is slightly harder than garnet with a rating 7.5 to 8 compared to 6.5 to 7.5 on Moh's scale of hardness. \n\nHere are pictures of beryls including aquamarine:\nhttp://www.galleries.com/minerals/silicate/beryl/beryl.htm\n\n\nHOOK 'EM HORNS!!!!
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Minerals is a general term for inorganic substances such as potassium, chlorine, sodium, magnesium, iron, sulphur, etc....basically any element other than carbon found in the ground through which the water flows.
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I did not even know that states had a "state mineral" until this made me look into it, but sure enough... Not every state has a state mineral, or rock, but Alaska has both. Mineral: Gold.  Rock: Jade. Seems kind of silly to me. What's next, a state smell? My state's smell would be squashed skunk, I think.
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What you are observing is the oxidation and weathering of a rock. The outside of the rock is exposed to the elements and gets bleached out, the inside is protected by the outer layers.
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A mineral.  It's one of the characteristic differences between a rock and a mineral, that the mineral has a defined composition that will crytsalize.
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Rocks can be divided into three key different groups, which you will need to know for chemistry and geography exams.\n\nThey are:\n- igneous\ne.g. volcanic rocks\n\n- sedimentary\ne.g. those laid down by the action of water, like limestone\n\n- metamorphic\ne.g. those that have been subject to many different processes within the earth and been changed as a result
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Ruby is not a mineral in its own right, it is a variety of the mineral CORUNDUM. Ruby is the name given to corundum (aluminum oxide) which is coloured red by having small amounts of chromium as an impurity (blue sapphire is corundum with iron and titanium). Ruby is found in many areas around the world but only in small ammounts. Ruby good enough to cut into gemstones is VERY rare. So rare in fact that the price the prices per carat of fine rubies are the highest of all gemstones including diamonds.
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glassy - cools very fast; extrusive igneous rocks; no crystals; includes obsidian & pumice\nfine-grained - cools quickly but not as fast as above; crystals don't have time to grow large; crystals are generally all the same size\ncoarse-grained - larger size crystals; usually intrusive igneous rocks; crystals are usually uniform\nporphyritic - has two different & distinct crystal sizes that resembles a "chocolate chip cookie" as I tell my students; the larger grains are fewer than the smaller ones
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Geology is an earth science and is the study of rocks and minerals.
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Igneous rocks are formed with heat. They are most commonly found around volcanoes. Metamorphic rocks are formed with heat and pressure. Sedimentary rocks, like sandstone and limestone, are formed by pressure.
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A mineral is a solid, (generally) inorganic compound with a definite chemical composition and organized structure.  So, liquid water, not being a solid with a structure, would not be a mineral.  Ice, however, is technically a mineral.  (When it occurs in nature--sometimes the boundaries of our definitions are so arbitrary!)
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The reason why crystals in plants vary in the plant cell is because of the plant defense. The crystals will vary according to the biome which the plant resides in. \n\n\n\noh yeah I am studying Botany
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The chemical composition of diferent minerals is what makes them different colors.  This is why jade is green, sapphires (my birthstone) are blue, rubies are red, etc.   This is also whay there are color variations within different types of the same mineral (yellow diamonds, colorless diamonds, etc.)
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Coal is neither a rock or a mineral... It is an ore, because:\n\nA mineral is not formed by living processes, which means it is not made of dead or once living things.  That eliminates coal from being a mineral because it is formed from dead animals and plants.
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A mineralogist simply stated is someone who studies minerals.\n\nMinerals can include anything from diamonds & other gems (precious & semi-precious) to rock forming minerals such as quartz & feldspar.