3.1: Have You Used a Mineral Today?

Have You Used a Mineral Today? 

While many people may initially say no, consider these questions: Have you brushed your teeth? Have you eaten anything that contained salt? Did you put on make-up this morning? Have you painted your fingernails or toenails? Used a cellphone or other electronic device? Used a form of transportation, car, bike, or public transit? A yes to any of these questions, means you have used at least one mineral today, and likely probably many more! Minerals are useful and common in everyday products, yet most people do not even realize it (Figure 3.1).

Minerals are not only important for their many uses, but also as the building blocks of rocks. In this lab, you will lay the foundation for many future labs in the course. Correct mineral identification is critical in geology, so work through this lab carefully. There are several thousand minerals, but we will focus on only the most common ones.

The geoscientists who study minerals are called mineralogists. Like many other geoscientists, working with other disciplines is common, with a heavy influence from both math and technology. Many are employed by universities where they teach and/or do research, and state and federal agencies, including geological surveys, like the California Geological Survey Links to an external site. or United State Geological Survey (USGS) Links to an external site.. Additional career pathways are available in the private sector including in mining and natural resource extraction. Many of these career options require a college degree and postgraduate work (typically a PhD). If you are interested in mineralogy talk to your geology instructor for advice. We recommend completing as many math and science courses as possible (chemistry is incredibly important for mineralogy). Also, visit National Parks Links to an external site., CA State Parks Links to an external site., museums, gem & mineral shows, or join a local rock and mineral club. Typically, natural history museums will have wonderful displays of rocks, including those from your local region. Here in California, there are a number of large collections, including the San Diego Natural History Museum Links to an external site., Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County Links to an external site., Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History Links to an external site., and Kimball Natural History Museum Links to an external site.. Many colleges and universities also have their own collections/museums.