Background Information for Teachers

You may not be an earth science major, yet you must teach it. Fortunately, many students find the study of rocks and minerals intrinsically interesting, especially when they can see samples, virtual and real, large and small. However, if made to simply classify and memorize specific minerals and rocks, students quickly become turned off. Resources here can help you gain the background information you need to decide which aspects of rocks, minerals and earth systems you want to emphasize with your students, beyond classification.

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The Periodic Table of Elements http://www.ktf-split.hr/periodni/en/

Because minerals are compounds of elements, you might want to refer to this interactive table of the elements to learn more about the elements contained within a given mineral. This table gives you more than the standard periodic table. For example, chromium, mentioned in the introduction, is described as being "produced commercially by heating its ore in the presence of silicon or aluminum. Chromium is used to make stainless steel; it gives the colour to rubies and emeralds. Iron-nickel-chromium alloys in various percentages yield an incredible variety of the most important metals in modern technology." The crystal structure and physical properties are also presented. MSP full record

Mineralogy 4 kids : rockin Internet site : the best place to learn about rocks and minerals http://www.minsocam.org/MSA/K12/K_12.html

Don’t let the name fool you. Information provided by this web site is sophisticated. Click on "Mineral Groups" for details regarding the classification groups of minerals. Warning: jargon is heavy. Be judicious in the amount of vocabulary you want students to learn. Links to mineral properties and crystals are available too. Yet more links appropriate for student use are available, including games and minerals in your house. MSP full record

Minerals http://csmres.jmu.edu/geollab/Fichter/Minerals/index.html

This site provides an in-depth look at mineral properties and identification. An alphabetical listing of common minerals allows the user to see a picture and view physical properties of the particular mineral. Properties of minerals are explained, including cleavage, hardness, crystal form, and luster. There are also downloadable labs for crystal models and mineral data sheets. Dichotomous and hardness keys are given for easier mineral identification. MSP full record

The major rock types and how they form http://www.athro.com/earth_science/rock_fr.html

Since minerals are embedded in rock formations, knowledge of rocks is good background for mineral study. This page presents a concise overview of the three rock types and is accompanied by photos. MSP full record

Water Properties http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/waterproperties.html

Water plays a role in mineral formation. Having knowledge of the fundamental properties of water allows clearer understandings of some mineral formation processes. This is a simple description of the chemical and physical properties of water produced by the U.S. Geological Survey. MSP full record

Discovery may jump-start mine remediation efforts http://www.news.wisc.edu/5595

This article from November 30, 2000, describes how bacteria contribute to detoxify ground water by chemically altering lead and zinc compounds resulting in useful mineral deposits. It underscores the relationships between the hydrosphere, lithosphere, and biosphere and points to bioremediation processes useful in controlling contaminations associated with mining. MSP full record

Historical statistics for mineral and material commodities in the united states http://minerals.usgs.gov/ds/2005/140/

This page from the U.S. Geological Survey provides information to the public and to policymakers concerning the current use and flow of 90 minerals and materials in the U.S. economy. Scroll to the bottom of the page for a table of the minerals and materials. In the column End-Use Statistics, click on the pdf for Aluminum, for example. A table appears in which use of aluminum in metric tons per year is described in seven categories. The last column shows apparent consumption. The same data is presented on the next page in a stacked line graph. A rich resource for data relating to mineral use! Students can be asked to interpret the data — what does it say? In the case of aluminum, consumption has dropped off in recent years. Hypothesize, what might account for the reduction in consumption of aluminum? How could that hypothesis be tested? MSP full record

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Copyright April 2008 — The Ohio State University. This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 0424671. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

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