For a substance to be a mineral, it must be a naturally occurring inorganic solid with a definite chemical composition and an ordered atomic arrangement

For each of the following substances, determine whether or not it is a mineral. If it is not a mineral, list all of the mineral properties that do not apply to it.
What will be an ideal response?


a. amber: NO organic solid; no definite chemical composition; no ordered atomic arrangement.
b. beer: NO not naturally occurring; organic solid; no definite chemical composition; no ordered atomic arrangement.
c. calcite: YES
d. diamond: YES
e. emerald: YES
f. plagioclase feldspar: YES
g. glacial ice: YES
h. halite: YES
i. ice cubes from an ice machine: YES (because ice is a naturally occurring mineral)
j. rock candy: NO not naturally occurring; organic solid; no definite chemical composition; no ordered atomic arrangement.
k. kryptonite: NO not naturally occurring; organic solid; no definite chemical composition; no ordered atomic arrangement.
l. cubic zirconia: NO not naturally occurring; organic solid; no definite chemical composition; no ordered atomic arrangement.
m. mineral oil: NO not naturally occurring; organic solid; no definite chemical composition; no ordered atomic arrangement.
n. muscovite: YES
o. obsidian: NO no ordered atomic arrangement.

Environmental & Atmospheric Sciences

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