Properties of Ores and Other Minerals of Economic Importance

Chemical
Habit, Cleavage, Usual Hardnes Specific
Mineral Compositio Streak Other Properties Type(s) of Rock
Fracture Color s Gravity
n
Pale Dull luster; clay-like
Reddish to Weathering of many rock
Bauxite Al(OH)3 Earthly masses 1.5-3.5 reddish- 2.5 masses with small
brown types
brown round concretions.
Chalcop Brass Greenish- Metallic luster; softer hydrothermal veins;
CuFeS2 Uneven fracture 3.5-4.5 4.2
yrite yellow black than pyrite. porphyry copper deposits
Layers within peridotites and
Chromit Massive, granular, Metallic to submetallic
FeCr2O4 Black 5.5 Dark brown 4.4 other ultramafic igneous
e compact luster.
rocks
Scarlet red
Cinnaba Compact, granular Color and streak are hydrothermal veins in young
HgS to red- 2.5 Scarlet red 8
r masses distinctive. volcanic rocks
brown
White, Cleaves
Octahedral and also yellow, easily; vitreous,
Fluorite CaF2 4 White 3.2 Hydrothermal veins
cubic crystals green, transparent to
purple translucent.
Lead or
Galena PbS Perfect cubic cleavage 2.5 Gray 7.6 Metallic luster. Skarns; hydrothermal veins
silver gray
Often earthy, dull
Dark red or
Hematit Granular, massive, or Brownish- appearance;
Fe2O3 2.5 reddish- 2.5-5 Sedimentary iron ore
e earthy red, black sometimes metallic
brown
luster.
Common in all types of
Limonit Brown or Brownish- Earthy masses that rocks; form by weathering of
2Fe2O3·3H2O Earthy fracture 1.5-4 3.6
e yellow yellow resemble clay. iron minerals; source of color
in most yellow-brown rocks
Metallic Common in small amounts in
Magneti Uneven fracture,
Fe3O4 Iron black 5.5 Iron black 5.2 luster; strongly most igneous rocks,
te granular masses
magnetic. concentrated in layers.
Bright Effervesces with HCl.
Malachit CuCO3·Cu(O Uneven, splintery Emerald
green, dark 3.5-4 4 Associated with Weathered copper deposits
e H)2 fracture green
green azurite.
Native
Cu Maleable and ductile Copper red 2.5-3 Copper red 8.9 Metallic luster. Basaltic lavas
copper
pyramidal habit, or
Near crater rim of active or
Native imperfectly Translucent; poor
S Yellow 1.5-2.5 Yellow 2.1 extinct volcanoes; in cap
sulfur crystallized irregular conductor of heat.
rock above salt domes
masses
Uneven fracture cubes Pale brass Greenish- igneous, metamorphic, and
Pyrite FeS2 6-6.5 5 Metallic luster; brittle.
with striated faces, yellow black sedimentary rocks;
 (lighter
than
octahedrons hydrothermal veins
chalcopyrit
e)
Shades of Resinous luster; may
Sphaleri Perfect cleavage in six Reddish-
ZnS brown and 3.5 4 occur with galena, hydrothermal veins; skarns
te directions at 120° brown
red pyrite.