How to identify a mineral
The most useful clue to use when identifying a mineral
What is hardness?
The _________ of a mineral can be either metallic or non-metallic.
What is luster?
_________ is one of the most common minerals on Earth, and is the primary constituent of sand.
Quartz
What mineral group is Calcite (CaCO3)
Carbonate
Geologists identify minerals by examining their _____; such as, streak, crystal structure, hardness, density, cleavage and fracture.
What is “physical properties”?
Fool's Gold
Pyrite
On Mohs scale of hardness, this soft mineral is ranked 1
What is talc?
The color of a minerals powder is called this
What is streak?
Hardness of a mineral can be determined by this
What is a scratch test?
The softness mineral on the Mohs Scale of Hardness is ___________
Talc
Minerals that contain oxygen and silicon
What are silicates?
A solid that is formed from a repeating pattern of a mineral’s particles; having flat sides (faces) that meet at sharp edges and corners
What is a crystal?
Used in pencils
Graphite
On Mohs scale of hardness, this hard mineral is ranked 7
What is quartz?
This term describes how a mineral looks when it breaks apart in an irregular way (Ex. Quartz produces curved shell-like surfaces when it is broken)
What is fracture?
_____________ is measured using a variety of items including a steel nail, a glass plate and your fingernail.
Hardness
Examples are Quartz, Feldspars, and Micas.
What are Silicate minerals.
Which mineral group includes gemstones like ruby and sapphire, and what is their primary chemical composition?
Oxides: primarily aluminum oxide
Which characteristic is most useful for distinguishing between the mineral groups halides and carbonates in the field?
Carbonates fizz in acid, while halides taste salty and are soluble in water.
Used in glass
quartz
On Mohs scale of hardness, this hard mineral is ranked10
Diamond
To be classified as a mineral, the substance must satisfy this number of requirements
What is 5?
__________________ is the tendency of some minerals to break along smooth flat planes.
Cleavage
The hardest mineral on the Mohs Scale of Hardness is ___________
Diamond
Which of the following mineral groups typically forms when sulfide minerals are oxidized near Earth's surface?
Sulfate Minerals
Is water a mineral
no
Very dense because it contains lead
Galena
The two terms that describe how a mineral breaks
What are cleavage and fracture?
The _________ of a mineral can be either metallic or non-metallic.
Luster
The color of a mineral’s _____ is always the same even though the color of the mineral itself may vary.
What is streak?
This mineral forms naturally as molten material (magma) cools and hardens beneath the Earth’s surface
What is quartz?
A geologist observes a mineral that fizzes when hydrochloric acid is applied. Which mineral group does this most likely belong to?
Carbonates
What are the 5 requirements for being a mineral
Solid
Inorganic
Naturally Occuring
Atomic Structure
Chemical COmposition
Used in toothpaste
Flourite
Name at least 2 tools used to identify hardness of a mineral
Fingernail
Penny
Glass plate
Nail