Native Elements

-pure form containing a distinct mineral structure.

-elements that happen naturally

Metal groups

-Elements that are characterized by high electrical and thermal conductivity, malleability, ductility,
and a high refractive index.

Copper group

Copper: (Cu) (Cubic) (Tarnishes to black or green in air)

-“Aes Cyprium” meaning “Metal of Cyprus”

-One of the first metal that men used in the early age.

-Rose gold: fusion of copper and gold

-Founded by neolithic humans around 8700 B.C

Gold: (Au) (Cubic) (Rich yellow colored)

-The “Au” symbol is derived from the Latin word “Aurum” meaning “Shining dawn”.

-We can consider gold as a mineral from space because the majority of earth’s gold deposits came
from meteorites.

-Gold also commonly forms inside the mantle.

Lead: (Pb) (Cubic) (Often coated with white hydrocerussite)

-The “Pb” symbol is derived from the Latin word “Plumbum” meaning “Ball of lead”.

-Lead has the highest atomic number among the stable elements (no. 82)

-A highly toxic metal

-Can be found with sulfur and galena (main ore of pb)

Silver: (Ag) (Cubic) (Tarnishes to dark gray to black)

-The “Ag” symbol is derived from the Latin “Argentum” meaning “Silver”.

-High electric conductivity

-Stable in water and oxygen but tarnishes in air because of sulfur compounds.

-Usually found in copper, lead, and cobalt arsenide ore

Iron group

Iron: (Fe) (Cubic) (Rusty when tarnished)

-“Fe” Ferrum: “Silver”

-Iron burns gold

-4th most abundant element in earth

Nickel (Ni) (Cubic) (Bright silver colored)

-Swedish word “Nickel” means insignificant person/goblin.

-once considered as false copper

-believed to be the 2nd most abundant element in earth’s core

Other metals

Silicon (Si) (Cubic) (Conchoidal fracture)

-“Silicium” from Latin word “silex” meaning: flint, silica

-8th most abundant element in the universe

-silicon is hydrophilic

-forms where sand is abundant

Chromium (Cr) (Cubic) (Shiny white colored)

-Derived from the French word "chrome" from Ancient Greek "khrôma" meaning color + ium
because of the striking colors of its compounds.

-Stainless steels resist corrosion and has ample hardness because of chromium

-21st and 22nd most abundant element on earth.

Aluminum (Al) (Cubic) (Greyish-white colored)

-Latin word “Alumen”: bitter salt

-Can’t be rusted

-Paramagnetic

-3rd most abundant mineral in earth

-Often be found in sedimentary rocks

Platinum (Pt) (Cubic) (Steel grey-dark grey colored and streak)

-Spanish word “platina”: little silver

-Absorb hydrogen at room temp.

-hydrogen and oxygen explode in the presence of platinum

-Rare mineral

Indium (In) (Tetragonal) (Gray with yellowish tint color)

-Latin word “Indicum”

-good resistance to atmospheric corrosion

Tin (Sn) (Tetragonal) (Tin-white colored)

-can prevent other metals from corroding by coating

-resistance in water corrosion

Zinc (Zn) (Hexagonal) (Metallic white colored)

-German word “Zink”: Point prong

-4th most used metal in the industry

-important ingredient for brass

-24th abundant element in earth’s crust

-usually found fused with copper and lead in ores

Titanium (Ti) (Hexagonal) (Silver grey colored)

-Titan (Greek god) + ium

-original name is “Manaccite”

-has high corrosion resistance

-often used to store nuclear waste

Mercury (Hg) (Trigonal) (alias: Quicksilver)

-Middle english : ”Mercurie”, Latin: “Mercurius”

-Liquid at room temp

-Highly poisonous

Semi metals

-“transition metals” or “metalloids”

-less conductive than metals

-more brittle than metals

Arsenic group

Arsenic (As) (Trigonal) (Tarnishes dark gray)

-Greek “arsenikon” meaning, “masculine”

-variety: arsenolamprite - Orthorhombic polymorph

-53rd most abundant element on earth’s crust

Bismuth (Bi) (Trigonal) (Pinkish white)

-German word “Weissmuth”: White material

-Bismuth tarnishes yellow to dark-gray

-labgrown bismuth: have hopper-like growths in pseudocubic crystals

-most diamagnetic

-Hall effect - has low electric conductivity and the greatest electrical resistance when placed in a
magnetic field.

Antimony (Sb) (Trigonal) (Tin white with slight blue tinge color)

-greek word “antimonos” meaning: against aloneness

-almost always contains arsenic

-not malleable

Selenium group

Selenium (Se) (Trigonal) (Purple gray color)

-additive to glass

-toxic to scalp fungus

Tellurium (Te) (Trigonal) (Grayish white)

-Latin name “Tellus” meaning: planet earth

-very rare

-generally associated with pyrite in its occurrence

-plentiful in space

Non metals

-Lack all the metallic attributes

-good insulators to heat and electricity

-mostly gases and sometimes liquid

Sulfur (S8) (Orthorhombic) (Rotten egg-like smell)

-Sanskrit, sulvere = "sulfur"; Latin, sulphurium = "sulphur"

-Pure sulfur is bright yellow

-Polymorph: Rosickyite - crystallizes in the monoclinic system

-commonly use for fertilizers

-10th most abundant element in the universe

-Bokod, Benguet – Sulfur spring attraction

Carbon polymorphs

Graphite (C) (Hexagonal) (Iron black color)

-Greek word “graphein” – to write

-leave smudge around the surface

-mostly used for pencil fillings

-chemically inert

Diamond (C) (Cubic) (10th in Mohs hardness scale)

-Greek “Adamas” – ‘invincible’

-melting point of 4090 degree Celsius

-most dense atomical configuration of any mineral

-Fancy: variety of diamonds that exhibits blue, red, pink, purple, and green

-Hardest material on earth

-Eureka diamond – 21.25 carat (polished = 10.73 carat) diamond discovered in south Africa

-Kimberly mine (The Big Hole), South Africa – once become the largest producer of diamonds

Lonsdalaeite (C) (Hexagonal) (Brownish black color)

-also known as hexagonal diamond

-Widely used as a marker of asteroidal impact

-expected to be harder than diamond in mohs hardness scale. But it is too rare

Chaoite (C) (Hexagonal (Dark gray)

-Also known as White Carbon

-Slightly harder than graphite

-occurs in meteorite craters through impact metamorphism

Fullerite (C60) (Tetragonal) (Black colored)

-Synonyms are Buckminsterfullerene

-In compressed state, can scratch diamond