Table of Minerals

Minerals are naturally occurring, homogeneous solids formed in the Earth's crust by the inorganic forces of nature, and
possess definite, but generally not fixed, chemical compositions, physical characteristics, and highly ordered atomic arrangements. This table contains a group of common minerals selected for their relative importance and frequency of
occurrence. Several physical properties commonly used to identify minerals have been included for each entry. The
information provided here should be used with the understanding that there is a certain amount of variation in physical
properties from specimen to specimen. For more information about the material presented here, consult the references cited
at the end of the table.
Streak is the color of a finely powdered mineral obtained by rubbing the mineral on a streak plate, which is an unglazed
piece of porcelain.
Since minerals are frequently polymorphic, the crystal system reported in the table is that of the most commonly observed
form. The term amorphous (amor) is used to describe noncrystalline minerals that lack an ordered atomic arrangement. The
crystal systems have been abbreviated in the table as follows:
hex
is0
mono

hexagonal
isometric
monoclinic

ortho
tet
trig

orthorhombic
tetragonal
trigonal

Hardness, which is the resistance of a smooth surface of a mineral to scratching, is expressed in terms of the Mohs'
Hardness Scale. This relative scale spans from 1-9 and is defined as follows:
<2.5
>2.5-3
>3-5.5
>5.5-<7
>7
Mineral

Acanthite
Actinolite
Aegirine
Allanite
Almandine

can be scratched by a fingernail

cannot be scratched by a fingernail; can be scratched by a copper cent
cannot be scratched by a copper cent; can be scratched by a knife
cannot be scratched by a knife; can be scratched by quartz
cannot be scratched by quartz
Composition

Color

Streak

Crystal
Index of Specific
System Hardness Refraction Gravity

Ag2S

gray-black

black

mono

2-2.5

Ca2(Mg,Fe),Si,
022(OH)2
NaFeSi20h

green

white

mono

1.64

3.0-3.4

dark green,
brown, black

white

mono

1.82

3.6

mono

5.5-6

1.70-1.81

3.5-4.2

(Ca,Ce)3(A1,Fe)2Si3 brown to pitch- colorless

black
0,2(0H)
Fe,AI2Si,Ol2
red to black
white

7.3

is0

7-7.5

1.83

4.0-4.3

white, red

colorless

hex

1.57

2.6-2.8

Amblygonite

Kfi13(S04)2(OH)6
LiAIFP04

white, pale
green, blue

colorless

trig

1.60

3.0-3.1

Analcime

NaAISi206.H20

colorless, white colorless

is0

5-5.5

1.48-1.49

2.27

Anatase

TiO,

brown

white

tet

5.5-6

2.6

3.9

Andalusite

A12Si05

reddish-brown,
white, gray

colorless

ortho

7.5

1.64

3.16-3.20

Andradite

Ca3Fe2Si3OI2

yellow, green,
brown, black

white

is0

7-7.5

1.89

3.8-3.9

Anglesite

PbS04

colorless, white colorless

ortho

1.88

6.2-6.4

Anhydrite

CaS04

colorless

colorless

ortho

3-3.5

1.58

2.89-2.98

Anthophyllite

(Mg,Fe)7Si8022(OH)2white, gray
Sb
white to gray

colorless

ortho

5.5-6

1.61-1.71

2.85-3.2

Antimony

3-3.5

Antlerite

cu3(so4)(oH)4

dark emeraldgreen

gray
light green

hex
ortho

3.5-4

1.74

3.88

Apatite

Ca5(PO4),(F,Cl,OH)

green, blue,
violet, brown,
colorless

colorless

hex

1.63

3.15-3.20

Apophyllite

K C Q ( S ~ ~ O ~ ~ ) ~ Fcolorless,
. ~ H ~ O white colorless

tet

4.5-5

1.54

2.3-2.4

Aragonite

CaC03

colorless, white colorless

ortho

3.5-4

1.68

2.95

Argentite

Ag2S
As

black

dark gray-black iso

tin-white

gray

Alunite

Arsenic

hex

6.7

2-2.5

7.2-7.4

3.5

5.7

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Whitehouse Station, N.J., U.S.A. All rights reserved.

Table of Minerals (Continued)

Copyright 2006 Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp., a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc.,
Whitehouse Station, N.J., U.S.A. All rights reserved.

Table of Minerals (Continued)

Mineral

Composition

Color

Streak

Index of Specific
Crystal
System Hardness Refraction Gravity

Chalcopyrite

CuFeS2

brass-yellow

greenish-black tet

Chlorargyrite

AgCl

pearl-gray,
colorless

colorless

is0

Chlorite

Mg,Fe3(Si,Al)4010 green of
(OH)2.(klg,Fe)3(0H)6 various shades
(Fe,Mg,Mn),(Al,Fe) grassy green
A~~OZ(S~O~)~(OH)~
Mg5(Si04)2(F,0H)2 light yellow,
brown

colorless

Chloritoid
Chondrodite

3.5-4

4.1-4.3

2-3

2.07

-5.5

mono

2-2.5

1.57-1.67

2.6-2.9

white

mono

6.5

colorless

mono

6-6.5

1.60-1.63

3.1-3.2

1.72-1.73 3.58-3.61

Chromite

FeCr204

iron-black to
brownish black

dark brown

iso

5.5

2.16

4.6

Chrysoberyl

BeA1204

yellowish to
green

colorless

ortho

8.5

1.75

3.65-3.8

Chrysocolla

( C U , A ~ ) ~ H , S ~ ~ Olight
~ green to
(OH),.nH,O
turquoise-blue

light blue

amor

2-4

-4

2.0-2.4

Cinnabar

HgS

bright red

hex

2-2.5

2.81

8.1

Clinozoisite

Ca2A130Si3012(OH) grayish-white,
green

colorless

mono

6-6.5

Cobaltite

CoAsS

silver-white

gray-black

iso

5.5-6

Colemanite

CaB3O4(0H),.H2O

colorless, white colorless

mono

4-4.5

Columbite

(Fe,Mn)NbzOs

black

dark brown to
black

ortho

5.3-7.3

Copper

Cu

copper-red

copper-red

iso

2.5-3

8.9

Cordierite

(Mg,Fe)2A14Si~
O18.n~20

blue, gray,
brown

colorless

ortho

7-7.5

Corundum

A1z03

gray, blue,
pink, brown

white

trig

Covellite

CuS

indi o blue to
blacf -

lead-gray to
black

hex

1.5-2

red to
vermillion

1.67-1.72 3.25-3.37
6.3
1.59

2.42

1.53-1.57 2.60-2.66
1.77

4.0
4.6

Cristobalite

Si02

colorless, white colorless

is0

1.48

2.32

Crocoite

PbCr04

red

mono

2.5-3

2.36

5.9-6.1

Cryolite

Na3AlF6

Cummingtonite (Fe,Mg,Mn),Si8OZ2
(OH12
Cuprite
Cu20
Danburite
Datolite

CaB,(Si04)2
CaB(Si04)(OH)

Diamond

orange-yellow

colorless, white colorless

mono

2.5

1.34

2.95-3.0

brown

white

mono

1.66-1.68

3.2-3.6

red

brownish-red

iso

3.5-4

6.0

ortho

1.63

2.97-3.02

5-5.5

1.65

2.8-3.0

10

2.42

3.5

colorless, pale
green

colorless

mono

colorless,
yellow, black

colorless

is0

Diaspore

AlO(0H)

white, gray

colorless

ortho

6.5-7

1.72

3.35-3.45

Diopside

Ca(Mg,Fe)Si,06

white, green

white

mono

1.67

3.25-3.40

Dioptase

CUS~O~(OH)~

green

hex

1.65

3.3

Dolomite

CaMg(C03)z

colorless, white, colorless

pink

hex

3.5-4

1.68

2.85

Enargite

Cu3AsS4

gray-black

gray-black

ortho

Enstatite

MgSi03

gray-brown,
green, brown

colorless

ortho

5.5

4.4
1.65

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Whitehouse Station, N.J., U.S.A. All rights reserved.

3.2-3.5

Table of Minerals (Continued)

violet, green
Franklinite

(Fe,Zn,Mn)(Fe,Mn),

iron-black

dark brown

iso

5.15

0 4

Gahnite

ZnA1204

dark green

colorless

is0

7.5-8

Galena

PbS

lead-gray

lead-gray

is0

2.5

Garnet

brown to red

is0

6.5-7.5

Gersdorffite

(Ca,Mg,Fe,Mn)3
(Al,Fe,Cr),(Si04)3
NiAsS

silver-white

gray-black

iso

5.5

Gibbsite

Al(OH)3

white, red,
brown

white

mono

2.5-3.5

1.57

2.3-2.4

Glauconite

(K,Na)(Fe,Mg,A1)2
(Si,A1)4010(OH)2

dark green to
black

pale green

mono

1.62

2.5-2.8

Glaucophane

blue, blue-black white

mono

1.62-1.67

3.0-3.3

Goethite

Na2Mg3A12Si8022
(OH12
a-FeO(0H)

yellow-brown
to dark brown

yellow-brown

ortho

5-5.5

2.39

4.37

Gold

Au

gold-yellow

gold-yellow

iso

2.5-3

15.0-19.3

Graphite

steel-gray to
iron-black

black

hex

1-1.5

2.23

Grossular

Ca3A12Si3012

white, green,
brown

white

is0

7-7.5

1.73

Grunerite

Fe7Si8022(0H)~
CaS04.2H20

light brown

Gypsum
Halite

NaCl

Hausmannite
Hedenbergite

Mn,O,
CaFeSi2O6

Hematite

Fe203

7.6
1.71-1.88

3.5-4.3
6.3

3.6

colorless

mono

1.71

3.6

mono

1.52

2.32

is0

2.5

1.54

2.1-2.3

brownish black

brown

tet

5.5-6

green to black

white

mono

red-brown

hex

Zn4(Si207)
(OH)2.H20
CaA12Si7018.6H,0

white

colorless

ortho

4.5-5

colorless, white colorless

mono

Hornblende

NaCa2(Mg,Fe,Al),
(A1,Si),O2,(0H),

green, brown,
black

white

mono

Humite

(Mg,Fe)7(Si04)3
(F,OH)2

yellow,
brownish red

white

Hypersthene

brown, black

Ilmenite

(Mg,Fe)Si03
FeTiO,

black

Iron

Fe

Jadeite

NaA1Si206

Heulandite

4.55

colorless, white, colorless

gray
colorless, white colorless

red to
vermillion

Hemimorphite

1.80

gray
green, white

5-6

4.84
1.73

5.5-6.5

3.40-3.55
5.2

1.62

3.4-3.5

3.5-4

1.48

2.18-2.20

5-6

1.62-1.72

3.0-3.4

ortho

6-6.5

1.64

3.15-3.35

white

ortho

5-6

1.68-1.73

3.4-4.0

black

hex

5.5-6

4.7

gray
colorless

is0

7.8

mono

6.5-7

1.66

Copyright 2006 Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp., a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc.,
Whitehouse Station, N.J., U.S.A. All rights reserved.

3.3-3.5

Table of Minerals (Continued)

Copyright 2006 Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp., a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc.,
Whitehouse Station, N.J., U.S.A. All rights reserved.

Table of Minerals (Continued)

Copyright 2006 Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp., a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc.,
Whitehouse Station, N.J., U.S.A. All rights reserved.

Table of Minerals (Continued)

Composition

Mineral

Color

Rutile

Ti02

Scapolite

3NaA1Si3OX.NaC1
white, pink,
3CaAISi2O8.CaCO3 gray
CaWO,
white, yellow,
brown

Scheelite

reddish-brown

Streak

Index of Specific
Crystal
System Hardness Refraction Gravity

pale brown

tet

6-6.5

2.61

4.18-4.25

colorless

tet

5-6

1.55-1.60

2.65-2.74

colorless

tet

4.5-5

1.92

5.9-6.1

2-5

1.55

2.3-2.66

Shattuckite

of green colorless
M ~ ~ S ~ ~ O S ( O H )shades
~
C U ~ ( S ~ O ~ ) , ( O H ) ~blue

Siderite

FeC03

light to dark
brown

yellow, brown

hex

Sillimanite

AI2SiO5

colorless

ortho

Silver

silver-white

iso

2.5-3

Skutterudite

Ag
(Co,Ni)As3

white, brown,
gray
silver-white
silver-white

black

is0

5.5-6

Smithsonite

ZnC03

green, blue,
white

colorless

hex

1.85

4.35-4.40

Sodalite

Na8(AISi04)6C12

blue, white

colorless

is0

5.5-6

1.48

2.15-2.3

Spenylite

PtAs2

tin-white

black

is0

6-7

Spessartine

Mn3Al2Si3OI2

orange, red,
brown

white

is0

7-7.5

1.80

4.0-4.2

Sphalerite

ZnS

yellow-brown
to black

white to
yellow-brown

is0

3.5

2.37

3.9-4.1

Spinel

MgAlzO,

red, black, blue, colorless

green, brown

is0

1.72

3.6-4.0

Spodumene

LiA1Si2O6

white, gray,
pink, green

colorless

mono

6.5-7

1.67

3.15-3.20

Staurolite

Fe2A1906(Si04),
(O,OH)2

red-brown

colorless

ortho

7-7.5

1.75

3.65-3.75

lead-gray to
black

lead-gray to
black

ortho

Serpentine

Stibnite

Sb2S3

mono

1.78

3.8

3.5-4

1.88

3.83-3.88

6-7

1.66

3.23

ortho

10.5
6.1-6.9

10.6

4.5

Stilbite

NaCa2AlSSil3
036. 14H20

white

colorless

mono

3.5-4

1.50

2.1-2.2

Stilpnomelane

K(Fe,Mg)6Si8Al
(0,0H)2,.2-4H20

black,
yellowish to
reddish brown

white

mono

3-4

1.58-1.74

2.59-2.96

Stromeyerite

(A~,CU)~S
SrC03

steel-gray

ortho

2.5-3

Strontianite

colorless, white colorless

ortho

3.5-4

1.67

3.7

Sulfur

yellow

colorless

ortho

1.5-2.5

2.04

2.05-2.09

Sylvanite

(Au,Ag)Te2
KC1

tin-white

gray
colorless, white colorless

mono

is0

1.49

1.99

Talc

Mg3Si4010(OH)2

colorless

mono

1.59

2.7-2.8

Tantalite

(Fe,Mn)Ta206

white, green,
gray
black

dark brown to
black

ortho

5.3-7.3

Tennantite

Cu~2As4S13

black

brown to black iso

3-4.5

4.6-5.1

CuI2Sb4Sl3
ThSiO,

grayish black

black

is0

3-4.5

Thorite

brown to black

white

tet

1.8

5.3

Titanite

CaTiO(Si0,)

brown, green,
yellow

colorless

mono

5-5.5

1.91

3.4-3.55

Sylvite

Tetrahedrite

6.2-6.3

8-8.2

4.7-5.0

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Whitehouse Station, N.J., U.S.A. All rights reserved.

Table of Minerals (Continued)

Mineral

Composition

Streak

Color

Crystal
Index of Specific
System Hardness Refraction Gravity

Topaz

A12Si04(F,0H),

colorless,
yellow, blue

colorless

ortho

1.61-1.63

3.4-3.6

Torbernite

cu(u0212
(P04)2.8-12H20

emerald-green
toapple-green

green

tet

2-2.5

1.59

3.2-3.7

Tourmaline

black, green,
(Na,Ca)(Li,Mg,Al)
(A~,F~,MII)~(BO,)~brown, blue,
pink
(Si60~8)(0H)4

colorless

hex

7-7.5

1.64-1.68

3.0-3.25

Tremolite
Tridyrnite

Ca2Mg5Si,022(0H)2 white
Si02
colorless

white

mono

1.61

3.0

colorless

hex

1.47

2.26

Triphylite

Li(Fe,Mn)P04

bluish-gray

colorless

ortho

4.5-5

1.69

3.42-3.56

Turquoise

CUA16(P04)4
(OH),.5H20

blue, bluishgreen

colorless

trig

1.62

2.6-2.8

Ulexite

NaCaB,06
(OH),.5 H 2 0

white

colorless

trig

1-2.5

1.50

1.96

Uraninite

uo2

black

brownish-black iso

5.5

Uvarovite

Ca3Cr2Si3OI2

green

white

is0

7.5

1.87

3.90

Vanadinite

Pb5(V04)3CI

ruby-red,
brown, yellow

colorless

hex

2.25-2.42

6.7-7.1

Vermiculite

yellow, brown,
(Mg,Fe,AI),(Al,Si),
O I I I ( O H ) ~ . ~ H ~ ~green
Calo(Mg,Fe)2A&Si9 green, brown,
yellow, blue
034(0H)4

white

mono

1.5

1.55-1.58

2.4

colorless

tet

6.5

1.70-1.75 3.35-4.45

Vesuvianite
Vivianite

Fe3(P04)2.8H20

blue, blue-green blue

Wavellite

A13(P04)z
(OH),.5 H,O

green, white,
brown

Willemite

Zn2Si04

yellow-green,
white, brown

Witherite

BaC03

colorless, white colorless

Wolffamite

(Fe,Mn)W04

brown to black

Wollastonite

CaSi03

colorless, white colorless

9.0-9.7

mono

1-1.5

1.60

2.7

colorless

ortho

3.5-4

1.54

2.33

colorless

hex

5.5

1.69

3.9-4.2

ortho

3.5

1.68

black to brown mono

colorless

trig

4-4.5

4.3
7.0-7.5

5-5.5

1.63

2.8-2.9

tet

2.40

6.8

hex

3.5-4

2.35

4.09

Wulfenite

PbMoO,

yellow, red

Wurtzite

ZnS

brownish black brown

Xenotime

YP04

yellowish to
reddish brown

white

tet

4-5

Zincite

ZnO

red to orangeyellow

orange-yellow

hex

4-4.5

2.01

5.68

Zircon

ZrSi04

brown, gray,
colorless

colorless

tet

7.5

1.92-1.96

4.68

Zoisite

Ca2A13Si3012(OH) gray, green,

pink

white

ortho

1.69

3.3

4.4-5.1

References
1. L, G, B 5 - q et al., Mineralogy: Concepts, Descriptions, Determinations (W. H. Freeman and Co., San Francisco, 2nd
ed., 1983).
2. A. M. Clark, Hey's Mineral Index: Mineral Species, Varieties and Synonyms (Chapman & Hall, London, 3rd ed., 1993).
3. C. Klein, C. S. Hurlbut, Jr., Manual ofMineralogy (John Wiley & Sons, New York, 20th ed., 1985).
4. P. G. Read, Dictionary of Gemmology (Butterworth, Heinemann, Oxford, 2nd ed., 1988).

Copyright 2006 Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp., a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc.,
Whitehouse Station, N.J., U.S.A. All rights reserved.