Minerals Vocabulary
Conflict Minerals - these are minerals that are mined in areas where war, conflict and human rights abuse exists
Crystalline - a distinct internal structure with symmetrical plane surfaces and characteristic angles
Element - a pure substance that cannot be separated or broken down into a simpler substance
Finite - having a limit, something that will end, be used up or run out
Gemstone - a precious stone that can be cut and polished
Inorganic material - something that is not living
Metal - a substance that is crystalline when solid and has a unique luster and conductivity
Mineral - non-living, solid that is a pure substance and found in earth, it can be metallic or non-metallic and has a crystalline structure such as diamond
Ore - a large amount of mineral or rock that can be mined for a profit
Pure - free from any contamination
Rare Earth Minerals - these are minerals that used to be expensive to mine and process, are found in many small deposits and used in most electronics
Rocks - has a mixture of minerals, is also solid, non-living and found in nature
Minerals Questions
What is the importance and uses of rare earth minerals?
What damage is the mining of minerals doing to our environment?
Why conflicts are there regarding the mining and sale of minerals once extracted?
How come some countries have lots of mineral resources and are still not rich?
Which minerals do we use and depend on the most?
How many minerals are needed for a computer or cell phone?
Where in the world do all the minerals come from?
What is the process to mine and extract minerals?
What damage is the mining of minerals doing to our environment?
Why conflicts are there regarding the mining and sale of minerals once extracted?
How come some countries have lots of mineral resources and are still not rich?
Which minerals do we use and depend on the most?
How many minerals are needed for a computer or cell phone?
Where in the world do all the minerals come from?
What is the process to mine and extract minerals?
Minerals Information
The many uses and importance of Minerals
http://cnx.org/content/m41470/latest/
http://www.msnucleus.org/membership/html/jh/earth/minerals/lesson4/minerals4a.html
http://library.thinkquest.org/J002289/uses.html
http://www.nma.org/index.php/minerals-publications/40-common-minerals-and-their-uses
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_are_the_uses_of_Mineral_Natural_Resources
http://www.nwma.org/education/Uses%20for%20Minerals.htm
http://minerals.usgs.gov/granted.html
http://www.scienceviews.com/geology/minerals.html
http://sciencedomatterbygenicav.blogspot.hk/2012/06/rocks-minerals-importance-and-its-uses.html
Interesting Facts about Minerals
http://library.thinkquest.org/J002289/fact.html
http://www.livestrong.com/article/525927-five-interesting-facts-on-minerals/
http://www.funtrivia.com/en/subtopics/Interesting-Mineral-Facts-159419.html
http://minerals.usgs.gov/west/morefun.htm
Threats to minerals (or rather damage caused due to mining & extraction of minerals)
http://www.grida.no/publications/vg/waste/page/2858.aspx
http://wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/where_we_work/congo_basin_forests/problems/mining/
http://kids.mongabay.com/elementary/505b.html
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/how-does-mining-affect-the-environment.html
Conservation & Preservation of Minerals
http://www.preservearticles.com/2012020422765/how-to-conserve-our-mineral-resources.html
http://www.good.is/posts/the-answer-to-the-unethical-gadget-problem-buy-only-what-you-need
http://www.mineralseducationcoalition.org/pdfs/recycle.pdf
http://www.rocksandminerals.com/recycle.htm
http://www.voip-news.com/articles/voip-blog/50-ways-to-leave-your-cell-phone-51979
http://www.greensolutionsmag.com/?p=1750
Look up information and pictures of any mineral (or rock)
http://www.rocksforkids.com/RFK/Rocks&Minerals.html
http://www.minerals.net/MineralImages/A.aspx
What are Rare Earth Minerals
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2011/06/rare-earth-elements/folger-text
Other rocks and minerals sites
http://www.rocksforkids.com/RFK/howrocks.html
http://cybersleuth-kids.com/sleuth/Science/Earth_Science/Rocks_and_Minerals/index.htm
http://www.rocksandminerals4u.com/minerals.html
http://www.kidinfo.com/science/geology.html
http://geology.com/minerals/
http://cnx.org/content/m41470/latest/
http://www.msnucleus.org/membership/html/jh/earth/minerals/lesson4/minerals4a.html
http://library.thinkquest.org/J002289/uses.html
http://www.nma.org/index.php/minerals-publications/40-common-minerals-and-their-uses
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_are_the_uses_of_Mineral_Natural_Resources
http://www.nwma.org/education/Uses%20for%20Minerals.htm
http://minerals.usgs.gov/granted.html
http://www.scienceviews.com/geology/minerals.html
http://sciencedomatterbygenicav.blogspot.hk/2012/06/rocks-minerals-importance-and-its-uses.html
Interesting Facts about Minerals
http://library.thinkquest.org/J002289/fact.html
http://www.livestrong.com/article/525927-five-interesting-facts-on-minerals/
http://www.funtrivia.com/en/subtopics/Interesting-Mineral-Facts-159419.html
http://minerals.usgs.gov/west/morefun.htm
Threats to minerals (or rather damage caused due to mining & extraction of minerals)
http://www.grida.no/publications/vg/waste/page/2858.aspx
http://wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/where_we_work/congo_basin_forests/problems/mining/
http://kids.mongabay.com/elementary/505b.html
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/how-does-mining-affect-the-environment.html
Conservation & Preservation of Minerals
http://www.preservearticles.com/2012020422765/how-to-conserve-our-mineral-resources.html
http://www.good.is/posts/the-answer-to-the-unethical-gadget-problem-buy-only-what-you-need
http://www.mineralseducationcoalition.org/pdfs/recycle.pdf
http://www.rocksandminerals.com/recycle.htm
http://www.voip-news.com/articles/voip-blog/50-ways-to-leave-your-cell-phone-51979
http://www.greensolutionsmag.com/?p=1750
Look up information and pictures of any mineral (or rock)
http://www.rocksforkids.com/RFK/Rocks&Minerals.html
http://www.minerals.net/MineralImages/A.aspx
What are Rare Earth Minerals
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2011/06/rare-earth-elements/folger-text
Other rocks and minerals sites
http://www.rocksforkids.com/RFK/howrocks.html
http://cybersleuth-kids.com/sleuth/Science/Earth_Science/Rocks_and_Minerals/index.htm
http://www.rocksandminerals4u.com/minerals.html
http://www.kidinfo.com/science/geology.html
http://geology.com/minerals/