SP.

MINERAL FORM COLOUR LUSTURE STREAK CLEAVAGE FRACTURE HARDNESS

GRAVITY
Rarely rhombohedral (0001) and (1011)
Dark brown to Metallic to Cherry red, 5.5-6.5
crystals, massive parting with nearly Uneven, sub-
HEMATITE micaceous radiating
steel grey to earthy, dull red, brown,
cubic angles, cleavage Conchoidal
scratches iron 4.8-5.3 high
black translucent Indian brown plate
renifrom absent
Colourless,
Prismatic, crystalline 5.0 can be
blue, violet, Vitreous to Cleavage poor (0001) Conchoidal 3.15-3.20
APATITE or tabular massive,
shades of sub-resinous
Colourless
basal Uneven, brittle
scratched by
medium
granular knife
green or brown
Colourless (in
thin flakes), Vitreous to
Prismatic crystals, Perfect (001), one set, 2.0 – 2.5
light yellow silky or Colourless or Even, mostly in
MUSCOVITE foliated, scaly,
green, red, pearly, white
parallel, basal, elastic
thin flakes.
scratched by 2.76 – 3.0 light
tabular, thin laminae flexible. finger nail.
brown when transparent
thick
Usually white Cleavage three sets,
Vitreous to
Usually in crystals, or colourless, three directions, not at
earthy Colourless or 3.0 scratches
CALCITE rhombohedral, may be grey,
transparent to white
right angles Even
brass plate.
2.72 light
granular aggregates. blue, red, rhombohedral – (1011)
opaque
green, yellow parting.
White to light
Vitreous,
green
transparent to Colourless or
ASBESTOS Fibrous, Platy variegated
translucent white
Perfect one set Conchoidal 2.0 – 6.0 2.2 – 3.3
shades of
greasy, silky
green
Cleavable masses or Vitreous to Two cleavage
Colourless, Sub-
irregular grains rarely pearly directions at or nearly 6.0 scratches
MICROCLINE massive,
greenish, white,
transparent or
Colourless
900 angles (001) and
Conchoidal,
glass plate
2.54 – 2.56 light
pale yellow uneven, brittle.
cryptocrystalline opaque (010)
Pearly to
Usually irregular, Black, brown to vitreous, Even, can be
Perfect (001) one set 2.5-3, scratched
BIOTITE foliated, scaly, dark green, transparent to Uncoloured
basal
split into thin
by finger nail.
2.96-3, light
tabular, crystals rare may be yellow, translucent, sheets.
splendent.
Vitreous, 6.5 – 7.0
Massive, granular, in Olive-green, Colourless or 3.27-3.35
OLIVINE imbedded grains brown, greyish
transparent to
greenish white
Cleavage absent Conchoidal scratches glass
medium
translucent plates
Cleavage in four
White, Vitreous, Conchoidal to
Prismatic crystals, direction, (010) perfect, 1.5 – 2.0,
colourless grey, pearly silky, sub-
fibrous, massive, (100) & (111) good, scratched easily
GYPSUM laminated, granular
with shades shining, Usually white
(011) with Conchoidal
Conchoidal,
with the finger
Light, 2.32
brown, red, transparent to non-elastic,
massive, foliated surface flexible, non- nail.
yellow translucent flexible.
elastic.
 SP.
MINERAL FORM COLOUR LUSTURE STREAK CLEAVAGE FRACTURE HARDNESS
GRAVITY
Cleavage perfect cubic
Blue black to Metallic, Sub-Conchoidal 2.5 scratches
GALENA Massive, granular
lead grey bright
Grey black (100) three sets parallel
brittle brass plate
7.4 -7.6 high
to faces of a cube
Cleavable masses or Vitreous to Two cleavage
Colourless, Sub-
irregular grains rarely pearly Colourless or directions at or nearly 6.0 scratches
ORTHOCLASE massive,
white, flesh
transparent or white 900 angles (001) and
Conchoidal,
glass plate
2.54 – 2.56 light
coloured uneven brittle.
cryptocrystalline opaque (010)
Light green,
Octahedral crystals, yellow, bluish Vitreous,
Perfect (111), four Even to sub- 4.0 scratches
FLUORITE granular, columnar, green, purple, transparent to Colourless
cleavage direction Conchoidal iron plate
3.18 medium
masses white, rose, translucent
blue, brown
Colourless,
Massive, granular, Vitreous,
white smoky 7.0 scratches
QUARTZ horizontally, striated
coloured when
greasy, Uncoloured Absent Conchoidal
glass plate
2.65 light
prisms with pyramids splendent
impure
5.0 parallel to
Usually blue or
length of
bluish white,
Perfect Pinacoidal crystals. 7.0 at
Long tabular crystals, grey or green, Vitreous to 3.55 – 3.66,
KYANITE bladed aggregates colour in pearly
Colourless (100), one direction, Uneven, brittle right angles to
medium
two sets (100) & (010) this directions
streaks and
scratches iron
patches
plate
Bluish green , Vitreous, 7.5 – 8.0
Crystal’s large, Poor basal cleavage Conchoidal,
BERYL prismatic crystals.
yellow, green, transparent to Colourless
imperfect (0001) brittle
scratches glass 2.75 -2.8 Low
pink, colourless translucent plate