Mineral Basics
•Which of the following is not a characteristic of a mineral?
a) Naturally occurring
b) Organic
c) Solid
d) Definite chemical composition
b) Organic
•What is the color of a mineral in powdered form called?
a) Hue
b) Streak
c) Tint
d) Luster
b) Streak
•Which rock type forms from cooling magma or lava?
a) Sedimentary
b) Metamorphic
c) Igneous
d) Fossiliferous
c) Igneous
•Which process is not part of the rock cycle?
a) Melting
b) Evaporation
c) Weathering
d) Compaction
b) Evaporation
This test involves rubbing a mineral on a porcelain plate to observe the color of its powder.
a) Luster
b) Streak
c) Hardness
d) Cleavage
b) Streak
•What is the most reliable test for identifying a mineral?
a) Color
b) Luster
c) Hardness
d) Texture
C) Hardness
•Which of the following is a metallic luster?
a) Shiny like metal
b) Pearly
c) Waxy
d) Vitreous
a) shiny like metal
•Obsidian is an igneous rock that is:
a) Intrusive with large crystals
b) Extrusive and glassy
c) Sedimentary and layered
d) Metamorphic and foliated
b) Extrusive and Glassy
•Which type of rock forms from sediments being compacted and cemented?
a) Igneous
b) Sedimentary
c) Metamorphic
d) Volcanic
b) Sedimentary
This property describes how a mineral reflects light—either metallic or non-metallic.
a) Texture
b) Transparency
c) Luster
d) Streak
c) Luster
•Which mineral is the hardest on the Mohs scale?
a) Quartz
b) Talc
c) Diamond
d) Gypsum
•Which of the following is a metallic luster?
a) Waxy
b) Pearly
c) Shiny like metal
d) Vitreous
a) Talc
•Which rock type is the only one that contains fossils?
a) Igneous
b) Metamorphic
c) Sedimentary
d) Volcanic
c) Sedimentary
•Which of the following is an igneous rock that forms below the surface?
a) Obsidian
b) Pumice
c) Granite
d) Basalt
c) Granite
This mineral identification test measures how easily a mineral can be scratched.
a) Hardness
b) Cleavage
c) Fracture
d) Color
a) Hardness
•Which mineral group contains silicon and oxygen?
a) Oxides
b) Carbonates
c) Silicates
d) Halides
C) silicates
•Which of the following is a carbonate mineral?
a) Quartz
b) Feldspar
c) Calcite
d) Magnetite
c) Calcite
•What causes metamorphic rocks to form?
a) Melting and cooling
b) Weathering and erosion
c) Heat and pressure
d) Crystallization from solution
c) Heat and Pressure
•What is the term for rocks that contain only one mineral?
a) Polymineralic
b) Monomineralic
c) Crystalline
d) Homogeneous
b) Monomineralic
This mineral is rated 7 on the Mohs hardness scale and is the hardest known natural substance.
a) Quartz
b) Talc
c) Diamond
d) Feldspar
a) Quartz
•Which of the following is not a property used to identify minerals?
•a) Streak
•b) Luster
•c) Transparency
•d) Hardness
C) Transparency
•Which of the following is a useful mineral that can be mined for profit?
a) Gem
b) Ore
c) Crystal
d) Fossil
b) Ore
•Which of the following is a non-foliated metamorphic rock?
a) Schist
b) Gneiss
c) Marble
d) Slate
c) Marble
•A mineral that breaks along flat planes is said to have:
a) Fracture
b) Cleavage
c) Luster
d) Texture
b) Cleavage
When a mineral breaks along smooth, flat surfaces, it is said to have this property.
a) Fracture
b) Cleavage
c) Texture
d) Transparency
b) Cleavage