Minerals: identification

Identification of Minerals

Questions
How can you identify minerals?
How do geologists identify minerals?

Identifying Physical Properties of Minerals

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.

Crystal form
Color
Streak
Luster
Cleavage
Fracture
Hardness
Tenacity
Specific gravity
Taste
Magnetism
Reaction with acid
Striations

Identifying Physical Properties of Minerals

1. Crystal form
Is a set of crystalline faces having a definite
geometric relationship to one another
Garnet

Quartz

Identifying Physical Properties of Minerals

2. Color
Is due to visible wavelengths of light not absorbed
Is the most obvious but least reliable property to use
for identification
Milky quartz
Citrine

Colors of ruby and sapphire,

varieties of corundum (Al2O3)

Amethyst

Smoky quartz

Colors of Varieties of Quartz

Identifying Physical Properties of Minerals

3. Streak
The color of a mineral in powder form

Figure 1.8

Identifying Physical Properties of Minerals

4. Luster
Is the intensity of light reflected from a surface

Pyrite

Potassium feldspar
Galena
Have a metallic luster

Has a nonmetallic luster

Identifying Physical Properties of Minerals

5. Cleavage
Is breakage along planes of weakness
Is due to weak bonding between those planes

Identifying Physical Properties of Minerals

Various Types of Cleavage

Identifying Physical Properties of Minerals

Pyramidal Cleavage Cubic Cleavage, and Rhombohedral Cleavage
Displayed by Fluorite, Halite, and Calcite

Fluorite

Halite
Calcite

Identifying Physical Properties of Minerals

Distinguishing between Cleavage Planes and Crystal Faces

Cleavage Planes:
Repeated like a series
of step or terraces

A crytal face:
A single surface
No repetitions of the
crystal face within
a crystal

Identifying Physical Properties of Minerals

6. Fracture

Is breakage in random directions

Is due to the absence of weak bonding between planes
Conchoidal fracture yields scalloped edges like in broken glass

Identifying Physical Properties of Minerals

7. Hardness
Is the resistance to scratching

Is based on the Mohs Scale

1 talc
2 gypsum
3 calcite
4 fluorite
5 apatite
6 potassium feldspar (orthoclase)
7 quartz
8 topaz
9 corundum
10 diamond

Identifying Physical Properties of Minerals

Mohs
Hardness
Scale

Identifying Physical Properties of Minerals

8. Tenacity
resistance to breaking or bending
9. Specific gravity: an expression of heaviness
3
density
of
a
substance
X
g/cm
SG
=
=
density of water
1 g/cm3
10. Taste
Halite (rock salt) tastes salty
11. Magnetism
magnetite attracts a magnet

= X

Identifying Physical Properties of Minerals

12. Reaction with acid
minerals containing a CO3 ion fizz (release CO2) when
in contact with hydrochloric acid
2HCl + CaCO3 Ca2+ + 2Cl- + H2O + CO2
13. Reaction with acid Striations
Are saw-tooth lines present on crystal planes due to
lamellar twinning (repetition) of crystals on that plane
Striations are characteristic of plagioclase feldspar,
calcite, dolomite, galena, and sphalerite