Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences

http://web.eps.utk.edu/courses/RMGuide.pdf
Rock and Mineral Study Guide

Non-Silicate Minerals
Name Image Color Hardness Streak Cleavage Luster Other Properties

effervescences with
Apatite green 5 white 1 (poor) vitreous
hydrochloric (HCl) acid

white to non- effervescences with

Calcite various 3 rhombohedral
gray metallic hydrochloric (HCl) acid

non-
Corundum various 9 white none insoluble
metallic

Fluorite various 4 white octahedral vitreous fluorescent in ultraviolet light

high specific gravity (7.6) and

Galena silver-gray 2.5 gray cubic metallic
brittle

gray to gray to
Graphite 1 basal metallic feels greasy
black black

colorless,
Gypsum white or 2 white 1 (2 poor) vitreous soluble in acids
gray

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 Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences
http://web.eps.utk.edu/courses/RMGuide.pdf
Rock and Mineral Study Guide

Non-Silicate Minerals
Name Image Color Hardness Streak Cleavage Luster Other Properties

non-
Halite various 2.5 white cubic soluble in water, taste salty
metallic

Hematite gray-silver 5 - 6.5 dark red none metallic high specific gravity (5.3)

brown to brown to metallic occurs commonly in irregular

Limonite 5 - 5.5 none
yellow yellow to dull shapes

black to non- magnetic and high specific

Magnetite 6 black none
gray metallic gravity (5.2)

brassy green to high specific gravity (5.0),

Pyrite 6 – 6.5 none metallic
yellow black commonly cubic and brittle

yellow,
pale yellow-
Sphalerite brown or 3.5 – 4 dodecahedral metallic smells like sulfur when broken
brown
black

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 Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences
http://web.eps.utk.edu/courses/RMGuide.pdf
Rock and Mineral Study Guide

Silicate Minerals
Name Image Color Hardness Streak Cleavage Luster Other Properties

green to 2 directions non-

Amphibole 5.5 pale green insoluble
black (60° & 120°) metallic

brown to non-
Biotite 2.5 – 3 gray brown basal soluble in sulfuric acid
black metallic

typically
Garnet dark red to 6.5 – 7.5 white none vitreous can be of gem quality
brown

non-
Muscovite clear 2 – 2.5 white basal soluble in acids
metallic

Olivine green 6.5 – 7 colorless none vitreous soluble in hydrochloric acid

similar to plagioclase, but with

pink or 2 directions non-
Orthoclase 6 white no striations on cleavage
white (90°) metallic
surfaces

white to 2 directions non- commonly has parallel

Plagioclase 6 white
gray (90°) metallic striations on cleavage surfaces

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 Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences
http://web.eps.utk.edu/courses/RMGuide.pdf
Rock and Mineral Study Guide

Silicate Minerals
Name Image Color Hardness Streak Cleavage Luster Other Properties

green to 2 directions non-

Pyroxene 5.5 white insoluble
black (87° & 93°) metallic

Quartz various 7 white none vitreous soluble in hydrofluoric acid

colorless to non- crystals typically cross and are

Staurolite brown 7 – 7.5 1
gray metallic coffin-shaped in cross-section

white to
Talc 1 white 1 greasy feels soapy
green

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 Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences
http://web.eps.utk.edu/courses/RMGuide.pdf
Rock and Mineral Study Guide
Textures
Igneous Rock Classification Plutonic Volcanic
Common Minerals in order by
Composition Color Phaneritic Aphanitic Porphyritic Pyroclastic Glassy
Bowen’s Reaction Series
Ultramafic Olivine Green Dunite x x x x
Porphyritic
Mafic Pyroxene Ca-Plagioclase Dark Gabbro Basalt* x x
Basalt
Porphyritic Pyroclastic
Amphibole Ca/Na-Plagioclase Black Diorite Andesite x
Andesite Andesite
Intermediate to
Biotite Na-Plagioclase Gray x

Orthoclase Pyroclastic x
Porphyritic Rhyolite
Pink Granite Rhyolite
Rhyolite &
Felsic Muscovite to Tuff x
White
Quartz x

Dark x x x x Obsidian
These samples do not contain minerals.
They are composed of glass only. Light x x x x Pumice*

* Basalt and Pumice can contain small holes (from trapped gas bubbles) called vesicles, and so their texture would be called Vesicular

Images
Andesite Basalt Diorite Dunite Gabbro Granite Obsidian Pumice Rhyolite

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 Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences
http://web.eps.utk.edu/courses/RMGuide.pdf
Rock and Mineral Study Guide

Sedimentary Rocks – Detrital Classification

Size Range < 1/256 mm 1/256 – 1/16 mm 1/16 – 2 mm > 2 mm
Sediment Name Pebbles, Cobbles,
Clay Silt Sand
(Size Classification) Boulders

Siltstone Quartz Sandstone Conglomerate

Claystone

(contains quartz) (rounded fragments)

Rock Name
Shale Breccia

Arkose Sandstone
(contains feldspar)

(fissle – i.e. splits into thin layers) (angular fragments)

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 Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences
http://web.eps.utk.edu/courses/RMGuide.pdf
Rock and Mineral Study Guide

Sedimentary Rocks – Non-detrital Classification

Dominant
Others
Non-detrital Calcite Dolomite
(including non-minerals)
mineral
Limestone
Dolostone Coal

(effervescence with HCl; (contains organic matter)

(NO effervescence with HCl)
often contains fossils)
Rock Name
Coquina
Chert

(effervescence with HCl;

(contains microcrystalline quartz)
contains shell fragments)

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 Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences
http://web.eps.utk.edu/courses/RMGuide.pdf
Rock and Mineral Study Guide

Metamorphic Rock Classification

Foliated Non-foliated
Texture
(Regional Metamorphism) (Contact Metamorphism)

Slate Phyllite Schist Gneiss Marble Quartzite

Rock Name

Increasing Metamorphism

Medium to Medium to Medium to Medium to

Grain Size Very fine Fine
Coarse Coarse Coarse Coarse

Parent Schist, Granite,

Limestone,
Rock Shale Slate Phyllite or volcanic Quartz Sandstone
Dolostone
(Protolith) rocks

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