Question

The mineral which is made up of plates or leaves is ______________.
A. Manganese
B. Mica
C. Nickel
D. Copper

Answer 1

Hint: Minerals are broadly described as naturally-occurring solid chemical compounds with specific chemical composition and can be denoted by a specific formula based on the structure of the composition. The same chemical elements when arranged in different patterns reflect variability in characteristics and this is why more than 4000 different minerals have been discovered on earth.

Complete answer:
Option A: is incorrect. Manganese is a ferrous mineral as it is found in combination with iron. It is an important alloy in the making of steel where it is combined with iron to improve its workability. It is also used in aluminium alloys to make them corrosion-resistant.
Option B: is correct. One of the important physical features of mica, referred to as perfect basal cleavage, is such that it can be split into extremely thin elastic plates. This sheet mica is used to make electrical components, window sheets, in atomic force microscopy, optical filters, pyrometers, thermal regulators and radiation aperture covers for microwave ovens.
Option C: is incorrect. Nickel is also a ferrous metal and it is ductile in nature. Pure nice in powdered form is highly reactive and it is also one of the four elements that are ferromagnetic at room temperature. It is widely used as an alloy in stainless steel and copper-based alloys.
Option D: is incorrect. Copper is a soft, malleable and ductile metal that is highly conducive to thermal and electrical energy. It is used to make wires to conduct heat and electricity, in building material and as an alloy for sterling silver jewellery and coins.

Note: Minerals are categorised into metallic and non-metallic minerals and within it, metallic minerals are further subdivided into ferrous and non-ferrous. Examples of ferrous minerals are chromite, iron ore, steel, nickel, manganese, etc. Examples of non-ferrous minerals are lead, aluminium, silver, gold, copper, zinc, etc. Examples of non-metallic minerals include limestone, marble, diamond, mica, gypsum, sand, etc.