Provide a 5 pages analysis while answering the following question: What Do You Know About Minerals. Prepare this assignment according to the guidelines found in the APA Style Guide. An abstract is required. Topaz is a mineral that is constructed from silicate, aluminum, and fluorine. It is clear unless other imperfections are mixed in during formation. Topaz is highly desirable as an ornamental stone in many cultures. The type of imperfection determines the color of the topaz. Topaz crystals form a prism shape capped by pyramids on each end.

Quartz is the second most abundant mineral in the earth’s crust. It is constructed from silicon and oxygen. Quartz is very hard and resistant to weathering. As a result, you can often find quartz in streambeds. Quarts is sometimes used as an ornamental stone but is more widely used in manufacturing processes.

Feldspar is a group of minerals that make-up nearly 60% of the earth’s surface. They are formed by cooling magma, making them prevalent in igneous rocks. Feldspar is broken into three different varieties. One variety contains potassium, one contains sodium and another contains calcium. Feldspar is used for many industrial purposes such as making glass and as an ingredient in paint.

Calcite is a stable form of calcium carbonate. It has the unusual property of birefringence. When you look through a clear sample of calcite, the birefringence properties of the mineral will cause you to see double. Calcite is usually found in metamorphic rock and has been used for things such as gun sights in the past.

Gypsum

Gypsum is a very soft mineral. It is harder than only one other mineral in nature. Gypsum is salt-based so it will dissolve in water. It is most widely used in the construction industry for the making of drywall.

Talc

Talc is the softest mineral. Finding it in crystal form in nature is very rare. Talc is used in ceramic making and as a personal hygiene product. It is usually found in formations of weathered igneous rocks. It is composed of hydrated magnesium silicate. Talc is white to grey in color, with any other color being very rare.

Crust

The crust is the outermost part of the earth’s surface. It is full of minerals and elements that are less common in other parts of the earth. The crust of the earth that makes up the continents is different than the crust that is found under the oceans. The crust under the oceans is denser than the continental crust.