76 Minerals in a Computer-High

Minerals in a Computer FOCUS Question Why do we use Earth's minerals in computers?

Everyday Minerals What occurs in nature but is not alive? Minerals! All minerals are solid. They are all around you— you use them every day. Some minerals, such as rubies and diamonds, are used to make jewelry. Minerals are in your pencil and your bicycle. Others are added to food. Minerals are even in toothpaste and deodorant. Still others are used in electronics. A computer contains more than 60 minerals! Let's find out which minerals are used in computers. Do You Know? Quartz is the most common mineral on Earth. It is also the most common mineral in your computer. It is in the monitor and the computer itself.

Minerals in Computers Computers use some minerals that are common on Earth. They also use some minerals that are rare. The mineral quartz is in rocks all over Earth's surface. Even though it is common, quartz is extremely important. Quartz is a hard mineral. It is used in glass, ceramics, and construction materials. In computers, quartz is in the circuits and chips that control your computer. A computer chip is a tiny electrical conductor. Quartz can be used in many different ways. Your computer would not work without it! Certain minerals are rare and useful. Gold and silver are examples. They are hard to find. Another rare and valuable mineral is cassiterite (kuh-SIT-ur-ite). We get the metal tin from cassiterite. Gold, silver, and cassiterite are all used to make computer chips.

Lithium Powers Up Lithium is a lightweight mineral. It is often used as a power source in certain kinds of batteries. This includes batteries that power many computers. Lithium is also mixed with other substances to make lightweight metal alloys. An alloy is a combination of two or more metallic elements. Many different rocks contain lithium. After lithium is removed from rock, it must be stored under special conditions. Why? It corrodes, or breaks down, in air. In other words, it is highly reactive to air. Reactive substances can release energy. How might this be useful in a battery?

Conductive Minerals Have you ever seen a shiny, new penny? The penny has a copper coating. Copper is a metallic mineral. Gold, silver, and lithium are other metallic minerals. Metals are shiny. They can be bent and shaped. Heat and electricity move easily through them. This is why copper is used in electrical wires. Copper is also used in many different computer parts. Think About It Gold and silver are flexible, metallic minerals that conduct electricity, just like copper. Why aren't they used in common electrical wires?

Silicates All Around! The outer layer of Earth is called the crust. The circle graph above shows the elements in Earth's crust. Silicon and oxygen are the most common elements. When they combine, they form silicate (SILL-uh-kit) minerals. Silicates are the most common kind of minerals in Earth's crust. Can you guess the most common silicate mineral? That's right— quartz! It is made of only silicon and oxygen. Its chemical name is silicon dioxide (dye-OX-ide).