Every year in March some friends and I take photos based upon ludicrous themes imparted to me by little blue cherubs.
The challenge is to shoot, edit and upload a shot a day for 31 days and not go crazy.
Easy enough, right?
Answer: Yes some minerals do have odors! In fact there are quite a few of them. Generally the odor is not strong unless the mineral has been struck or is freshly excavated. The most renown smelly mineral is sulfur to no ones surprise. Other minerals that smell are generally sulfides, arsenic based minerals or clays. The sulfide mineral marcasite gives off a noticeable sulfur-like odor when it decomposes and the arsenic sulfide mineral arsenopyrite gives off a garlic smell when this mineral is struck or crushed. The smell in the sulfide minerals comes from the reaction of oxygen in the air to the sulfur; forming odious scented molecules such as sulfur dioxide, SO2. Arsenic minerals tend to have a garlic scent as is consistent with the element and poison arsenic. The clay minerals have, for lack of a better term, a clay-like smell that is sometimes called earthy. Occasionally a mineral will have a rather distinct and therefore diagnostic odor, but this is a fairly uncommon property and not reliable in general.
Answer:
ReplyDeleteYes some minerals do have odors! In fact there are quite a few of them. Generally the odor is not strong unless the mineral has been struck or is freshly excavated. The most renown smelly mineral is sulfur to no ones surprise. Other minerals that smell are generally sulfides, arsenic based minerals or clays. The sulfide mineral marcasite gives off a noticeable sulfur-like odor when it decomposes and the arsenic sulfide mineral arsenopyrite gives off a garlic smell when this mineral is struck or crushed. The smell in the sulfide minerals comes from the reaction of oxygen in the air to the sulfur; forming odious scented molecules such as sulfur dioxide, SO2. Arsenic minerals tend to have a garlic scent as is consistent with the element and poison arsenic. The clay minerals have, for lack of a better term, a clay-like smell that is sometimes called earthy. Occasionally a mineral will have a rather distinct and therefore diagnostic odor, but this is a fairly uncommon property and not reliable in general.