Name: -Investigations- Date:

Teacher: Group #:

Mineral Mania

Site: Mineral Uses - http://www.rocksandminerals.com/uses.htm

1.  Based on current consumption, it is estimated that you – and every other person in the United States – will use more than a ______pounds of rocks, minerals, and metals during your lifetime.

2.  How many pounds of the following will you use?

a.  Lead _____
b.  Iron _____
c.  Zinc _____
d.  Clays _____ / e.  Copper _____
f.  Salt _____
g.  Aluminum _____
h.  Stone, sand, and gravel _____

3.  What is the most abundant metal element in Earth’s Crust?

4.  This is the active ingredient in many underarm deodorants?

5.  What is coal primarily used for?

6.  This is the mineral that is the source for the “fluoride” in your favorite toothpaste.

7.  Which mineral is commonly recognized as salt?

8.  Which mineral provides the “tingly” taste you experience when drinking soft drinks?

9.  Which mineral is often used as an anti-caking agent in packets of sweetener?

10.  Most “copper” pennies are actually made with which mineral?

Site: Fireworks - http://www.rocksandminerals.com/fireworks.htm

1.  How many tons of fireworks are used each year?

2.  What minerals are used to make the following colors or special effects?

a.  Bright Greens
b.  Silvery White
c.  Deep Reds
d.  Lavender
e.  Blues / f.  Yellows
g.  Orange
h.  Gold Sparks
i.  Bright Flashes
j.  Silvery-white Flashes

Site: Mineral Groups - http://www.galleries.com/minerals/interest.htm

1.  Scroll down and click on “Birthstones” What are the birthstone(s) for each month?

a.  January: ______or ______

b.  February: ______or ______

c.  March: ______or ______

d.  April: ______or ______

e.  May: ______or ______

f.  June______or ______or ______

g.  July: ______or ______

h.  August: ______or ______

i.  September: ______or ______

j.  October: ______or ______

k.  November: ______or ______

l.  December: ______or ______or ______

2.  Use your back browser to return to the home page. Select “Fluorescent Minerals”.

a.  Use the table on the right to name three minerals that “glow” under ultraviolet light.

i.  Move your cursor over each mineral. What colors do they “glow”?

b.  What is the glow called?

c.  If the mineral continues to glow after the light is removed, what is it called?

3.  Use your back browser to return to the home pages. Select “Gemstones”

a.  What are the 3 characteristics that “generally speaking” make a gemstone?

b.  Scroll down and select “quartz”

i.  What is the chemical formula for quartz (look next to chemistry)?

Site: Mineral Games - http://www.minsocam.org/MSA/K12/games.html

1.  Select “Minerals in Your House”

a.  Select “Bedroom”

i.  Click on one of the items

1.  What item did you pick?

2.  What minerals are in that item?

2.  Return to the main page

a.  Select “Bathroom”

i.  Click on one of the items

1.  What item did you pick?

2.  What minerals are in that item?

3.  Return to the main page

a.  Select “Living Room”

i.  Click on one of the items

1.  What item did you pick?

2.  What minerals are in that item?

4.  Return to the main page

a.  Select “Kitchen”

i.  Click on one of the items

1.  What item did you pick?

2.  What minerals are in that item?

Continued on back

Site: Mineral Information Index - http://www.uky.edu/AS/Geology/webdogs/rocks/alphlist.htm or http://www.galleries.com/minerals/byname.htm

1.  Select one of the minerals from the list and complete the following.

a.  My mineral is ______

Other properties/uses/remarks:

§  ______

§  ______

§  ______

§  ______

Modified from T.Trimpe www.sciencespot.net