The Story of a Rock

Our rock is schist. It is a foliated metamorphic rock primarily made up of Muscovite and Biotite. Schist is shiny, has layers, some of the grains can be seen, and some bits of the rock will come off in your hand.

http://u3askyegeology.blogspot.com/

Schist beings as shale. Shale is a sedimentary rock. Once shale has pressure and heat applied to it, it transforms into slate. This is a metamorphic change. The more pressure and heat, the more the rock may change. From slate, the rock morphed into phyllite and then into schist. If the schist were to be placed under more heat and pressure, it may eventually turn into gneiss.

http://imnh.isu.edu/digitalatlas/geo/basics/diagrams.htm

Minerals

A mineral is...

1. naturally occurring
2. inorganic
3. solid
4. have a definite chemical composition
5. have a crystalline structure

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj20L2BpuFhdP4uNEK85WY-MGT63te-qjB8D05XsUaPpNN4VNGk2JLzWjn439ETuHJmj35RaMfxTM4qkTQgHW4WdHrw1gPclYTFeFETTby7C5xjSagIgyNRlGnmkT6iCXFMhql9CvFS-dZ0/s1600/minerals.jpg

Periodic Table and Crystal Gardens

The periodic table is made up of elements. When those elements bond together, they form crystals.

http://straderspiel.wordpress.com/2012/03/19/crystal-garden/

Here's how to create a crystal garden:

1. Place chunks of your substrate (i.e., charcoal briquette, sponge, cork, brick, porous rock) in an even layer in the non-metal pan. You want pieces that are roughly 1-inch in diameter, so you may need to (carefully) use a hammer to break the material up.
2. Sprinkle water, preferably distilled, onto the substrate until is has been thoroughly dampened. Pour off any excess water.
3. In an empty jar, mix 3 tablespoons (45 ml) uniodized salt, 3 tablespoons (45 ml) ammonia, and 6 tablespoons (90 ml) bluing. Stir until the salt is dissolved.
4. Pour the mixture over the prepared substrate.
5. Add and swirl a bit of water around in the empty jar to pick up the remaining chemicals and pour this liquid onto the substrate, too.
6. Add a drop of food coloring here and there across the surface of the 'garden'. Areas with no food coloring will be white.
7. Sprinkle more salt (about 2 T or about 30 ml) across the surface of the 'garden'.
8. Set the 'garden' in an area where it will not be disturbed.
9. On days 2 and 3, pour a mixture of ammonia, water, and bluing (2 tablespoons or 30 ml each) in the bottom of the pan, being careful not to disturb the delicate growing crystals.
10. Keep the pan in an undisturbed place, but check on it periodically to watch your very cool garden grow!

Instructions from http://chemistry.about.com/cs/growingcrystals/ht/charcoalgarden.htm