Properties of common Earth resources determine their importance.
Minerals
Natural, solid materials found on Earth that are the building blocks of rock.
- Each mineral has a certain chemical make-up and set of properties that determine their use and value such as hardness, luster, color, texture, cleavage/fracture (the way it breaks), flammability, reactivity to acids, and density.
- One such valuable mineral is gypsum. It is used in the production of cement.
Topic Tips
- Minerals are the building blocks of rocks and may have useful properties.