Rocks are made up of many minerals.
Minerals are defined as inorganic, naturally occurring solid substances that have a definite chemical composition and a crystalline structure. From copper wires to powdered sulfur, scientists use a variety of minerals in their laboratories, whether they are testing the minerals themselves for chemical reactions or experimenting with equipment that contains them.
Elemental Minerals
Pencils contain the mineral graphite.
Gold and silver may not be abundant in a laboratory, but elemental minerals like aluminum, iron and copper usually are. Aluminum foil makes a handy spoon for heating a substance such as powdered sulfur, and copper comprises scientific equipment such as electrical wires and balancing weights. Because iron is so conducive for magnetism, scientists often use iron filings or iron magnets to study the effects of this force. Technological equipment, such as computers, also requires metallic minerals, and even pencils hold an elemental mineral called graphite.
Halides
You probably know the halide called "halite" by its more common names, "sodium chloride" or "salt." Salt may be used for any number of reasons in a laboratory, from creating a saltwater bath for a buoyancy comparison to determining the effect of salty soil on the growth of plants. Though other halides are not as well known, sylvite and fluorite would also not be out of place in a laboratory, particularly in experiments concerning evaporation or fertilizer.
Silicates
Jade is a type of silicate.
Silicate minerals form almost 90 percent of the earth's crust. All silicates contain silicon and oxygen. Some of the more common silicates include quartz, topaz, tanzanite, jade, garnet, talc, feldspar and mica. In school laboratories, students of geology generally learn about the identification of minerals by using many silicates, testing their hardness, cleavage, color, luster and other salient characteristics. Advanced scientific laboratories might use rocks like these to study crystalline structures, magnetic properties or potential improvements of current applications, as many silicates are used in industries ranging from glass and enamelware to soap and insulation.
Oxides
Most science students know that the molecular symbol of water is H2O, but they probably don't think of ice as a mineral. Although water isn't a mineral in its liquid form, it is technically a member of the oxide mineral family when it is in its solid state. Scientists use ice very often to cool an experiment or study water itself, especially its unusual process of phase changes. Another familiar oxide you might find in a science laboratory is hematite, Fe2O3, also known as iron oxide or "rust."
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