02 Mineral Identification Solutions

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Physical Geology
Lab 02: Minerals
DR. GREGG WILKERSON AND MICHAEL OLDERSHAW
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DOWNLOADS
 Lecture: Mineral Identification

 Lab: Mineral Identification
 Mineral Identification Table
 Answer Sheet (Table)
 Answers are in RED

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Mineral Trays
30 garnet 24 talc 18 milky qtz 12 halite 6 magnetite

148 166 126 159 115
23 plagioclase
29 olivine 17 gypsum 11 bauxite 5 pyrite
feldspar
143 130 158 112 102
28 tormaline 22 K-feldspar 16 barite 10 hematite 4 chalcopyrite

168 129 161 113A + 113B 103
15 azurite (w/
27 hornblende 21 chalcedony 9 limonite 3 galena
maclachite)
139 128 106 + 107 114 100
26 biotite 20 amethyst 14 calcite 8 sphalerite 2 graphite

138 124 152 110 164
25 muscovite 19 crystal qtz 13 fluorite 7 bornite 1 sulfur

137 123 162 103 167
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MINERAL IDENTIFICATION
Goals
Learn the properties that distinguish minerals
Learn to identify several common minerals
Learn to use your powers of observation
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1. What is an Atom?
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1.What is an Atom?
 The atom is the smallest object that

retains the properties of an
element.
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2. What is an element?
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2. What is an element?
 An element is composed of atoms that have the same

atomic number; that is, each atom has the same
number of protons in its nucleus as all other atoms of
that element. Today 112 elements are known, of which
92 are known to occur in nature, while the remaining
20 have only been made with particle accelerators.
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3. What is a compound?
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3. What is a compound?
 A substance formed from two or more

elements chemically united in fixed
proportions.
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4. What is a mineral?
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4. What is a mineral?
 A ….
 -naturally occurring
 -inorganic compound
 -with distinctive crystal structure
 -and unique chemical composition
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5. How are minerals classified?
Note: Energy hydrocarbon minerals are not minerals

in geology because hydrocarbons are organic
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5. How are minerals classified?
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Mineral Properties
▪ Physical Properties
 Crystal Form – a regular
arrangement of atoms that
produces a distinct shape (the way
the mineral grows)
 Cleavage – a weakness in the
atomic structure that produces
consistent breaks along planes
 Fracture – a recognizable pattern of
break not on a cleavage plane
 Hardness – the resistance to
scratching, measured with the Mohs
Scale 1-10 (Talc to Diamond)
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Mineral Properties
▪ Properties ofAppearance
 Luster – the way the mineral reflects light
 Dull, earthy, resinous, pearly, vitreous,
metallic
 Color – probably the first thing we notice,
but unreliable
 Streak – the color of the mineral in
powdered form
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Mineral Properties
▪ Additional Properties
 Smell
 Taste
 Effervescence in cold HCl
 Magnetism
 Feel
 Density
 Refraction of Light
 Fluorescence in UV Light
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6. What properties to minerals
have?
Other mineral properties are reactivity in HCl

acid, melting temperature, solubility, streak and
specific gravity
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have?
21
have?
22
have?
23
have?
24
have?
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have?
MOHS’ HARDNESS SCALE

01- Talc Two
02 - Gypsum Girls
03 - Calcite Came
04 – Fluorite From
05 – Apatite Africa
06 – Feldspar Feeling
07 – Quartz Quite
08 – Topaz Tipsy
09 – Corundum Carrying
10 – Diamond Diamonds
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Crystal Form
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Mineral Cleavage
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Fracture
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Luster
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7. How do you measure or test
mineral properties?
 Hardness Testing Kit

 --Penny (H=3)
 --Paper Clip (H=5)
 --Quartz Crystal (H=7)
 Specific Gravity
 --”Heavy” vs “Light”
 Outward Appearance
 --Color
 --Luster
 --Transparency
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8. Your Minerals: #1. Biotite
 Formula:
K(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg)([Si/Al]Si2O10)(OH/F)2
 Color Dark brown, greenish-brown, blackish-
brown, yellow, white
 Crystal habit Massive to platy
 Twinning Common on the [310],
 less common on the {001}
 Cleavage Perfect on the {001}
 Fracture Micaceous
 Tenacity Brittle to flexible, elastic
 Mohs scale hardness 2.5–3.0
 Luster Vitreous to pearly
 Streak White
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MINERAL SUMMARIES
DIAGNOSTIC
PROPERTIES ARE
IN RED
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Your Minerals: #1. Biotite
 Member of:
 --Trioctahedral micas Group > Mica Group
 Diagnostic Properties
 --Perfect cleavage in one direction resulting in very
thin parting layers
 --Black
 --Hexagonal crystals
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Your Minerals: #1. Biotite
 Member of:
 --Trioctahedral micas Group > Mica Group
 Diagnostic Properties
 --Perfect cleavage in one direction resulting in very
thin parting layers
 --Black
 --Hexagonal crystals
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Your Minerals: #2. Orthoclase
 Formula: K(AlSi3O8)
 Colour: Colorless to white, Greenish white, Grayish
yellow, Pale pink
 Lustre:Vitreous, Sub-Vitreous, Resinous
 Hardness:6
 Specific Gravity:2.55 - 2.63
 Crystal System: Monoclinic
 Member of: Feldspar Group
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Your Minerals: #2. Orthoclase
 Formula: K(AlSi3O8)
 Colour: Colorless to white, Greenish white, Grayish
yellow, Pale pink
 Lustre: Vitreous, Sub-Vitreous, Resinous
 Hardness:6
 Specific Gravity:2.55 - 2.63
 Crystal System: Monoclinic
 Member of: Feldspar Group
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Your Minerals: #3. Plagioclase
 Category Feldspar mineral group, tectosilicate

 Formula
 (repeating unit) NaAlSi3O8 – CaAl2Si2O8
 Crystal system Triclinic
 Color White, gray, bluish white, e
 Mohs scale hardness 6 - 6.5
 Luster Vitreous
 Streak White
 Diaphaneity Transparent to translucent
 Specific gravity 2.62 (albite) to 2.76 (anorthite)[1]
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Your Minerals: #3. Plagioclase
 Category Feldspar mineral group, tectosilicate

 Formula
 (repeating unit) NaAlSi3O8 – CaAl2Si2O8
 Color White, gray, bluish white, e
 Mohs scale hardness 6 - 6.5
 Luster Vitreous
 Streak White
 Specific gravity 2.62 (albite) to 2.76 (anorthite)[1]
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Your Minerals: #4. Quartz
 Category oxide mineral[1][2]

 Formula
 (repeating unit) SiO2
 Strunz classification 4.DA.05 (Oxides)
 Dana classification 75.01.03.01 (tectosilicates)
 Crystal system α-quartz: trigonal
 β-quartz: hexagonal
 Crystal class α-quartz: trapezohedral (class 3 2); β-
quartz: trapezohedral (class 6 2 2)[3]
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Your Minerals: #4. Quartz
 Color Colorless through various colors to black

 Crystal habit 6-sided prism ending in 6-sided
pyramid (typical), drusy, fine-grained to
microcrystalline, massive
 Twinning Common Dauphine law, Brazil law and
Japan law
 Cleavage {0110} Indistinct
 Fracture Conchoidal
 Tenacity Brittle
 Mohs scale hardness 7 – lower in impure varieties
(defining mineral)
 Luster Vitreous – waxy to dull when massive
 Streak White
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Your Minerals: #5. Hornblende
 Category Silicate mineral

 Formula
 (repeating unit) Ca2(Mg, Fe, Al)5 (Al,
Si)8O22(OH)2
 Crystal system Monoclinic unknown space group
 Color Black to dark green or brown
 Crystal habit Hexagonal/granular
 Cleavage Imperfect at 56° and 124°
 Fracture Uneven
 Mohs scale hardness 5–6
 Luster Vitreous to dull
 Streak Pale gray, gray-white,[1][2] white,
colorless[3]
 Specific gravity 2.9
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Your Minerals: #6. Augite
 Category Inosilicates
 Formula
 (repeating unit) (Ca,Na)(Mg,Fe,Al,Ti)(Si,Al)2O6
 Strunz classification 9.DA.15
 Crystal system Monoclinic
 Crystal class Prismatic (2/m)
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Your Minerals: #6. Augite
 Color Black, brown, greenish, violet-brown; in

thin section, colorless to gray with zoning common
 Crystal habit Commonly as stubby prismatic
crystals, also acicular, skeletal, dendritic
 Twinning Simple or multiple on {100} and {001}
 Cleavage {110} good with 87° between {110} and
{110}; parting on {100} and {010}
 Fracture uneven to conchoidal
 Tenacity brittle
 Mohs scale hardness 5.5 to 6
 Luster Vitreous, resinous to dull
 Streak Greenish-white
 Diaphaneity Transparent to opaque
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Your Minerals: #7. Olivine
 Category Nesosilicate
 Olivine group
 Olivine series
 Formula
 (repeating unit) (Mg, Fe)2SiO4
 Strunz classification 9.AC.05
 Crystal system Orthorhombic
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Your Minerals: #7. Olivine
 Color Yellow to yellow-green

 Crystal habit Massive to granular
 Cleavage Poor
 Fracture Conchoidal – brittle
 Mohs scale hardness 6.5–7
 Luster Vitreous
 Streak None
 Specific gravity 3.2–4.5[1][2][3][4]
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Your Minerals: #8. Muscovite
 Category Phyllosilicate
 Formula
 (repeating unit)
KAl2(AlSi3O10)(F,OH)2
 Strunz classification 9.EC.15
 Dana classification 71.02.02a.01
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Your Minerals: #8. Muscovite
 Color White, grey, silvery

 Crystal habit Massive to platy
 Twinning Common on the [310], less common on
the {001}
 Cleavage Perfect on the {001}
 Fracture Micaceous
 Tenacity Elastic
 Mohs scale hardness 2–2.5 parallel to {001}
 4 right angle to {001}
 Luster Vitreous, silky, pearly
 Streak White
 Specific gravity 2.76–3
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Your Minerals: #9. Chalcedony
 Category Oxide minerals, quartz

group
 Formula
 (repeating unit) Silica (silicon dioxide,
SiO2)
 Crystal system Trigonal or monoclinic
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(variety agate)
 Color Various
 CleavageAbsent
 Fracture Uneven, splintery, conchoidal
 Luster Waxy, vitreous, dull, greasy, silky
 Streak White
 Diaphaneity Translucent
 Specific gravity 2.59–2.61
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Your Minerals: #10. Calcite
 Category Carbonate minerals

 Formula
 (repeating unit) CaCO3
 Strunz classification 5.AB.05
 Crystal system Trigonal
 Crystal class Hexagonal scalenohedral
(3m)
 H-M symbol: (3 2/m)
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 Color Colorless or White, Yellow, Red, Orange,

Blue, Green, Brown, Gray etc.
 Crystal habit Crystalline, granular, stalactitic,
concretionary, massive, rhombohedral
 Twinning Common by four twin laws
 Cleavage Perfect on {1011} three directions with
angle of 74° 55'[1]
 FractureConchoidal
 Mohs scale hardness 3 (defining mineral)
 Luster Vitreous to pearly on cleavage surfaces
 Streak White
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Your Minerals: #11. Apatite
 Category Phosphate mineral

 Formula
 (repeating unit)
Ca5(PO4)3(F,Cl,OH)
 Strunz classification 8.BN.05
 Crystal system: Hexagonal
 Crystal class Dipyramidal (6/m)
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 Color Transparent to translucent, usually

green, less often colorless, yellow, blue to
violet, pink, brown.[2]
 Crystal habit Tabular, prismatic crystals,
massive, compact or granular
 Cleavage [0001] indistinct, [1010] indistinct[1]
 FractureConchoidal to uneven[2]
 Mohs scale hardness 5[2] (defining mineral)
 Luster Vitreous[2] to subresinous
 Streak White
 Diaphaneity Transparent to translucent[1]
 Specific gravity 3.16–3.22[1]
 Polish luster Vitreous[
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Your Minerals: #12. Selenite
(variety of gypsum)
 Category Sulfate mineral

 Formula
 (repeating unit) CaSO4·2H2O (variety of gypsum)
 Crystal system Monoclinic (2/m) Space group:
A2/a
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(variety of gypsum)
 Color Brown green, brownish yellow, greenish,

gray green, gray white
 Crystal habit Earthy – dull, clay-like texture with no
visible crystalline affinities, (e.g. howlite).
 Cleavage [010] Perfect, [100] Distinct, [011]
Distinct
 Fracture Fibrous – thin, elongated fractures
produced by crystal forms or intersecting
cleavages (e.g. asbestos).
 Mohs scale hardness 2
 Luster Pearly
 Streak white
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(variety of gypsum)
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Your Minerals: #13. Satin Spar
(variety of gypsum)
 Category Sulfate mineral

 Formula
 (repeating unit) CaSO4·2H2O
 Crystal system Monoclinic (2/m) Space group:
A2/a
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(variety of gypsum)
 Color Brown green, brownish yellow, greenish,

gray green, gray white
 Crystal habit Earthy – dull, clay-like texture with no
visible crystalline affinities, (e.g. howlite).
 Cleavage [010] Perfect, [100] Distinct, [011]
Distinct
 Fracture Fibrous – thin, elongated fractures
produced by crystal forms or intersecting
cleavages (e.g. asbestos).
 Mohs scale hardness 2
 Luster Pearly
 Streak white
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(variety of gypsum)
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Your Minerals: #14.
Bauxite (rock)
 Bauxite consists mostly of the

aluminum minerals
 --gibbsite (Al(OH)3),
 --boehmite (γ-AlO(OH)) and
 --diaspore (α-AlO(OH)), mixed
with
 the two iron oxides
 --goethite (FeO(OH)) and
 --haematite (Fe2O3),
 the aluminium clay mineral
kaolinite (Al2Si2O5(OH))
 and small amounts of
 --anatase (TiO2) and
 --Ilmenite (FeTiO3 or FeO.TiO2).[1]
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Your Minerals: #14. Bauxite
(rock)
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Your Minerals: #15. Malachite
 Category Carbonate mineral

 Formula
 (repeating unit) Cu2CO3(OH)2
 Strunz classification5.BA.10
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 Color Bright green, dark green, blackish

green, with crystals deeper shades of
green, even very dark to nearly black
commonly banded in masses; green to
yellowish green in transmitted light
 Crystal habit Massive, botryoidal,
stalactitic, crystals are acicular to tabular
prismatic
 Twinning Common as contact or
penetration twins on {100} and {201}.
Polysynthetic twinning also present.
 Cleavage Perfect on {201} fair on {010}
 Fracture Subconchoidal to uneven
 Mohs scale hardness 3.5–4
 Luster Adamantine to vitreous; silky if
fibrous; dull to earthy if massive
 Streak light green
 Diaphaneity Translucent to opaque
 Specific gravity 3.6–4
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Your Minerals: #16. Halite
 Category Halide mineral

 Formula
 (repeating unit) NaCl
 Strunz classification 3.AA.20
 Crystal system Cubic
 Crystal class Hexoctahedral (m3m)
 H-M symbol: (4/m 3 2/m)
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 Color Colorless or white (Depends on isotopes

and purity for various colours)
 Crystal habit Predominantly cubes and in massive
sedimentary beds, but also granular, fibrous and
compact
 Cleavage Perfect {001}, three directions cubic
 Fracture Conchoidal
 Luster Vitreous
 Streak White
 Diaphaneity Transparent
 Special Property: Tastes Salty
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Your Minerals: #17. Kaolinite
 Category Phyllosilicates
 Kaolinite-serpentine group
 Formula
 (repeating unit) Al
 2(OH)4Si2O5
 Strunz classification9.ED.05
 Crystal class Pedial (1)
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Your Minerals:
#17. Kaolinite
 Color White to cream, sometimes red,

blue or brown tints from impurities and
pale-yellow; also often stained various
hues, tans and browns being common.
 Crystal habit Rarely as crystals, thin
plates or stacked, More commonly as
microscopic pseudohexagonal plates
and clusters of plates, aggregated into
compact, claylike masses
 CleavagePerfect on {001}
 Tenacity Flexible but inelastic
 Mohs scale hardness 2–2.5
 Luster Pearly to dull earthy
 Streak White
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Your Minerals: #17. Kaolinite
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Your Minerals: #18. Garnet
 Category Nesosilicate
 Formula
 (repeating unit) The general formula
X3Y2(SiO4)3
 Crystal system Isometric
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Your Minerals: #18. Garnet
 Color virtually all colors, blue is very

rare
 Crystal habit Rhombic dodecahedron
or cubic
 CleavageIndistinct
 Fracture conchoidal to uneven
 Luster vitreous to resinous
 Streak White
 Polish luster vitreous to
subadamantine[1]
Your Minerals: #18. Garnet 77
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Your Minerals: #19. Corundum
 Corundum is the mineral for two gemstones:
 Rubies
 Sapphire
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 Category Oxide mineral – Hematite group

 Formula
 (repeating unit) Aluminium oxide, Al
 2O
 3
 Strunz classification 4.CB.05
 Dana classification 4.3.1.1
 Crystal class Hexagonal scalenohedral (3m)
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 Color Colorless, gray,, golden-brown, brown;

purple, pink to red, orange, yellow, green, blue,
violet; may be color zoned, asteriated mainly grey
and brown
 Crystal habit Steep bipyramidal, tabular, prismatic,
rhombohedral crystals, massive or granular
 Twinning Polysynthetic twinning common
 Cleavage None – parting in 3 directions
 Fracture Conchoidal to uneven
 Mohs scale hardness 9 (defining mineral)[1]
 Luster Adamantine to vitreous
 Streak White
 Diaphaneity Transparent, translucent to opaque
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Your Minerals: #20. Graphite
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 Category Native mineral

 Formula
 (repeating unit) C
 Strunz classification 1.CB.05a
 Crystal system Hexagonal
 Crystal class Dihexagonal dipyramidal (6/mmm)
 Hermann–Mauguin notation: (6/m 2/m 2/m)
Your Minerals: #20. Graphite
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 Color Iron-black to steel-gray; deep blue in

transmitted light
 Crystal habit Tabular, six-sided foliated masses,
granular to compacted masses
 Twinning Present
 Cleavage Basal – perfect on {0001}
 Fracture Flaky, otherwise rough when not on
cleavage
 Tenacity Flexible non-elastic, sectile
 Luster Metallic, earthy
 Streak Black
 Diaphaneity Opaque, transparent only in
extremely thin flakes
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Your Minerals: #21. Talc
 Category Silicate mineral

 Formula
 (repeating unit) Mg3Si4O10(OH)2
 Strunz classification9.EC.05
 Crystal system Monoclinic or
triclinic[1]
 Crystal class Either prismatic (2m) or
pinacoidal (1)[2]
Your Minerals: #21. Talc 85
 Color Light to dark green, brown, white,

grey, colorless
 Crystal habit Foliated to fibrous masses,
rare as platey to pyramidal crystals
 Cleavage Perfect on {001} basal cleavage
 Fracture Flat surfaces (not cleavage),
fracture in an uneven pattern
 Tenacity Sectile
 Luster Waxlike or pearly
 Streak White jot to pearl black
 Diaphaneity Translucent
 Specific gravity 2.58 to 2.83
Your Minerals: #21. Talc 86
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Your Minerals: #22. Sulphur
 Natural occurrence primordial

 Color bright or light yellow to brown
 Crystal structure orthorhombic
 Orthorhombic crystal structure for sulfur
 Thermal conductivity 0.205 W/(m·K) (amorphous)
 Electrical resistivity 2×1015 Ω·m (at 20 °C)
(amorphous)
 Magnetic ordering diamagnetic[1]
 Magnetic susceptibility (α) −15.5·10−6 cm3/mol
(298 K)[2]
 Bulk modulus7.7 GPa
 Mohs hardness 2.0 (1.5-2.5)
 Luster: adamantine, resinous, earthy
 Chemical Formula: S
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Your Minerals: #22. Sulphur
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Your Minerals: #23. Galena
 Category Sulfide mineral, octahedral subgroup

 Formula
 (repeating unit) PbS
 Strunz classification 2.CD.10
 Crystal system Cubic
 H–M symbol: (4/m 3 2/m)
90
 Color Lead gray and silvery

 Crystal habit Cubes and octahedra, blocky, tabular
and sometimes skeletal crystals
 Twinning Contact, penetration and lamellar
 Cleavage Cubic perfect on [001], parting on
[111]
 Fracture Subconchoidal
 Luster Metallic on cleavage planes
 Streak Lead gray
 Diaphaneity Opaque
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Your Minerals: #24. Bornite
 Category Sulfide mineral

 Formula
 (repeating unit) Cu5FeS4
 Strunz classification 2.BA.10
 Crystal system Orthorhombic
 Crystal class Dipyramidal (mmm)
 H-M symbol: (2/m 2/m 2/m)
93
Your Minerals: #24. Bornite
 Color Copper red, bronze brown, purple

 Crystal habit Granular, massive,
disseminated – Crystals pseudocubic,
dodecahedral, octahedral
 Twinning Penetration twins on [111]
 Cleavage Poor on [111]
 Fracture Uneven to subconchoidal; brittle
 Luster Metallic if fresh, iridescent tarnish
 Streak Grayish black
Your Minerals: #24. Bornite 94
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Your Minerals: #25. Fluorite
 Category Halide mineral

 Formula
 (repeating unit) CaF2
 Strunz classification 3.AB.25
 H–M symbol: (4/m 3 2/m)
 (cF12)
 Space group Fm3m (No. 225)
96
 Color Colorless, although samples are often

deeply colored owing to impurities; Purple, lilac,
golden-yellow, green, blue, pink, champagne,
brown.
 Crystal habit Well-formed coarse sized crystals;
also nodular, botryoidal, rarely columnar or fibrous;
granular, massive
 Twinning Common on {111}, interpenetrant,
flattened
 Cleavage Octahedral, perfect on {111}, parting
on {011}
 Fracture Subconchoidal to uneven
 Luster Vitreous
 Streak White
 Specific gravity 3.175–3.184; to 3.56 if high in rare-
earth elements
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10
0
Your Minerals: #26. Kernite
 Category Inoborates
 Formula
 (repeating unit) Na2B4O6(OH)2·3H2O
 Strunz classification 6.DB.05
 (same H-M symbol)
 Space group P21/c
10
Your Minerals: #26. Kernite 1
 Color Colorless, white

 Crystal habit Crystalline - occurs as well-
formed coarse sized crystals
 Cleavage Perfect on [100] and [001], good
on [201]
 Fracture Splintery
 Mohs scale hardness 2.5-3
 Luster Vitreous - pearly
 Streak White
 Specific gravity 1.9 - 1.92
10
Your Minerals: #26. Kernite 2
10
3
Your Minerals: #27. Magnetite
 Category Oxide minerals

 Spinel group
 Spinel structural group
 Formula
 (repeating unit) iron(II,III) oxide,
Fe2+Fe3+2O4
 Strunz classification 4.BB.05
 H-M symbol: (4/m 3 2/m)
10
Your Minerals: #27. 4
Magnetite
 Color Black, gray with brownish tint in

reflected sun
 Crystal habit Octahedral, fine granular to
massive
 Twinning On {Ill} as both twin and
composition plane, the spinel law, as
contact twins
 Cleavage Indistinct, parting on {Ill}, very
good
 Fracture Uneven
 Luster Metallic
 Streak Black
 Solubility Dissolves slowly in hydrochloric
acid
10
Your Minerals: #27. Magnetite 5
10
Your Minerals: #27. Magnetite 6
10
Your Minerals: #28. Limonite 7
(amorphous mineraloid)
The major constituent is
Geotite
 Category Amorphous, mineraloid

 Formula
 (repeating unit) FeO(OH)·nH2O
 Strunz classification
8
 Color Various shades of brown and

yellow
 Crystal habit Fine grained aggregate,
powdery coating
 Cleavage Absent
 Fracture Uneven
 Mohs scale hardness 4–5 1⁄2
 Luster Earthy
 Streak Yellowish brown
 Density 2.7–4.3 g/cm3
9
11
0
Your Minerals: #29. Hematite
 Category Oxide minerals

 Formula
 (repeating unit) iron(III) oxide, Fe2O3, α-
Fe2O3[1]
 Strunz classification 4.CB.05
 Crystal class Hexagonal scalenohedral
(3m)
11
Your Minerals: #29. 1
Hematite
Color Metallic gray, dull to bright "rust-red" in

earthy, compact, fine-grained material, steel-
grey to black in crystals and massively
crystalline ores
 Crystal habit Tabular to thick crystals;
micaceous or platy, commonly in rosettes;
radiating fibrous, reniform, botryoidal or
stalactitic masses, columnar; earthy,
granular, oolitic
 Twinning Penetration and lamellar
 Cleavage None, may show partings on
{0001} and {1011}
 Fracture Uneven to sub-conchoidal
 Luster Metallic to splendent
 Streak Bright red to dark red
11
Your Minerals: #29. Hematite 2
11
3
Your Minerals: #30. Chalcopyrite

 Formula
 (repeating unit) CuFeS2
 Strunz classification 2.CB.10a
 Crystal system Tetragonal
 Crystal class Scalenohedral (42m)
 H-M symbol: (4 2m)
 Space group I42d
11
Your Minerals: #30. Chalcopyrite 4
 Color Brass yellow, may have iridescent purplish

tarnish.
 Crystal habit Predominantly the disphenoid and
resembles a tetrahedron, commonly massive, and
sometimes botryoidal.
 Twinning Penetration twins
 Cleavage Indistinct on {011}
 Fracture Irregular to uneven
 Mohs scale hardness 3.5
 Luster Metallic
 Streak Greenish black
 Specific gravity 4.1 – 4.3
11
Your Minerals: #30. Chalcopyrite 5
11
Your Minerals: #31. Pyrite 6

 Formula
 (repeating unit) FeS2
 Strunz classification 2.EB.05a
 Crystal class Diploidal (m3)
 H-M symbol: (2/m 3)
11
7
Your Minerals:
#31. Pyrite
 Color Pale brass-yellow reflective;

tarnishes darker and iridescent
 Crystal habit Cubic, faces may be
striated, but also frequently octahedral and
pyritohedron. Often inter-grown, massive,
radiated, granular, globular, and stalactitic.
 Twinning Penetration and contact
twinning
 Cleavage Indistinct on {001}; partings on
{011} and {111}
 Fracture Very uneven, sometimes
conchoidal
 Luster Metallic, glistening
 Streak Greenish-black to brownish-black
11
Your Minerals: #31. Pyrite 8

02 Mineral Identification Solutions

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02 Mineral Identification Solutions

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 Lecture: Mineral Identification

 Answers are in RED

30 garnet 24 talc 18 milky qtz 12 halite 6 magnetite

28 tormaline 22 K-feldspar 16 barite 10 hematite 4 chalcopyrite

26 biotite 20 amethyst 14 calcite 8 sphalerite 2 graphite

25 muscovite 19 crystal qtz 13 fluorite 7 bornite 1 sulfur

 The atom is the smallest object that

 An element is composed of atoms that have the same

 A substance formed from two or more

Note: Energy hydrocarbon minerals are not minerals

Other mineral properties are reactivity in HCl

MOHS’ HARDNESS SCALE

 Hardness Testing Kit

 Category Feldspar mineral group, tectosilicate

 Category Feldspar mineral group, tectosilicate

 Category oxide mineral[1][2]

 Color Colorless through various colors to black

 Category Silicate mineral

 Color Black, brown, greenish, violet-brown; in

 Color Yellow to yellow-green

 Color White, grey, silvery

 Category Oxide minerals, quartz

 Category Carbonate minerals

 Color Colorless or White, Yellow, Red, Orange,

 Category Phosphate mineral

 Color Transparent to translucent, usually

 Category Sulfate mineral

 Color Brown green, brownish yellow, greenish,

 Category Sulfate mineral

 Color Brown green, brownish yellow, greenish,

 Bauxite consists mostly of the

 Category Carbonate mineral

 Color Bright green, dark green, blackish

 Category Halide mineral

 Color Colorless or white (Depends on isotopes

 Color White to cream, sometimes red,

 Color virtually all colors, blue is very

 Corundum is the mineral for two gemstones:

 Category Oxide mineral – Hematite group

 Color Colorless, gray,, golden-brown, brown;

 Category Native mineral

 Color Iron-black to steel-gray; deep blue in

 Category Silicate mineral

 Color Light to dark green, brown, white,

 Natural occurrence primordial

 Category Sulfide mineral, octahedral subgroup

 Color Lead gray and silvery

 Category Sulfide mineral

 Color Copper red, bronze brown, purple

 Category Halide mineral

 Color Colorless, although samples are often

 Color Colorless, white

 Category Oxide minerals

 Color Black, gray with brownish tint in

 Category Amorphous, mineraloid

 Color Various shades of brown and

 Category Oxide minerals

Color Metallic gray, dull to bright "rust-red" in

 Category Sulfide mineral

 Color Brass yellow, may have iridescent purplish

 Category Sulfide mineral

 Color Pale brass-yellow reflective;