Minerals: How Do Minerals Form?

Minerals form through various processes, including cooling of molten rock, changes in temperature, pressure, or chemical makeup within Earth, and evaporation of mineral-rich water. Examples include mica, feldspar, magnetite, and quartz from molten rock; garnet, graphite, talc, and magnetite from alteration; and sulfur and iron from geothermal pools. Salt crystals can form when mineral-rich water evaporates, as seen in Death Valley.

How do minerals form from molten rock?

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What are some examples of minerals formed when molten rock cools?

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In what ways can changes inside Earth alter rocks to form different minerals?

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How do minerals form in solutions of mineral-rich water?

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What happens to mineral-rich water when it evaporates?

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