Abstract

Minerals are sometimes precious, like diamonds. But most minerals are very common, like sodium, which is found in salt. How are minerals found and identified? How are our mineral resources distributed? Visit the USGS Mineral Resource Program to find mineral resources in your state. How are satellite images used to identify potential mineral sources? You can also find out how minerals are identified using spectroscopy. How are potentially harmful minerals, like mercury, dealt with? Visit the Mineralogical Society of America to learn how to identify minerals. They also have a database of crystal structures for different minerals. How do crystal structures of different minerals compare? (USGS, 2006; MSA 2006)