Mineralogy

• International Committee, the Commission of New Minerals and Minerals of the International Mineralogy Association

  CNMMN
• The measurement and recording of physical properties to describe a mineral

  Descriptive mineralogy
• The way minerals are classified according to their anionic group than their crystal structure

  Classification
• The science that deals with the atomic arrangement of a crystal structure

  Crystallography
• Involves the understanding of the chemical makeup of the atomic arrangement of a crystal

  Crystal chemistry
• The original type mineral where all information was obtained

  Holotype
• Specimen used to obtain qualitative data for the original mineral

  Cotype
• Specimen used to re-define and re-examine when the original species is missing

  Neotype
• Holds minerals together by means of electrical forces that bind the atoms together and the type of bond responsible for the mineral determines it's chemical and physical properties

  Chemical Bonding
• Half of the distance between neighboring atoms

  Atomic radius
• The distance between the nuclei of ions joined by ionic bond in a crystalline solid

  Ionic radii
• The smallest subdivision of matter that retains characteristics of the element

  Atom
• Defined by the number of protons in the nucleus

  Element
• Elements that have the same number of protons but different number of neutrons

  Isotopes
• Elements prone to giving up one or more electrons

  Cations
• Elements that are prone to receiving one or more electron

  Anion