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Characteristics of Minerals

Characteristics of Minerals. By learning the different characteristics of minerals, you will be able to conduct tests to figure out which mineral is which

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Characteristics of Minerals

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  1. Characteristics of Minerals

  2. By learning the different characteristics of minerals, you will be able to conduct tests to figure out which mineral is which • This helped me when I was in college and was on a field trip for my senior year Mineralogy course. We had to identify various minerals found in rocks by looking at: • The types of rocks they were found in • By testing with the characteristics of minerals • Looking at the minerals under a microscope

  3. Mineral Characteristics

  4. Helps to classify a mineral, but not always 100% accurate since color can vary Color Mineral Characteristics

  5. Helps to classify a mineral, but not always 100% accurate since color can vary Color Streak The color of a mineral in its powdered form; you get the streak by rubbing the mineral over a tile Mineral Characteristics

  6. Helps to classify a mineral, but not always 100% accurate since color can vary Color Streak The color of a mineral in its powdered form; you get the streak by rubbing the mineral over a tile Luster Describes how light is reflected from the surface of a mineral; common types include metallic, glassy, pearly, earthy, silky Mineral Characteristics

  7. Helps to classify a mineral, but not always 100% accurate since color can vary Color Streak The color of a mineral in its powdered form; you get the streak by rubbing the mineral over a tile Luster Describes how light is reflected from the surface of a mineral; common types include metallic, glassy, pearly, earthy, silky Mineral Characteristics Hardness Measures how easily a mineral can be scratched; to determine we will use the Mohs hardness scale

  8. Helps to classify a mineral, but not always 100% accurate since color can vary Color Streak The color of a mineral in its powdered form; you get the streak by rubbing the mineral over a tile Luster Describes how light is reflected from the surface of a mineral; common types include metallic, glassy, pearly, earthy, silky Mineral Characteristics Hardness Measures how easily a mineral can be scratched; to determine we will use the Mohs hardness scale Cleavage vs. Fracture Cleavage is when minerals break along smooth, flat surfaces and fracture is when minerals break unevenly

  9. Helps to classify a mineral, but not always 100% accurate since color can vary Color Streak The color of a mineral in its powdered form; you get the streak by rubbing the mineral over a tile Luster Describes how light is reflected from the surface of a mineral; common types include metallic, glassy, pearly, earthy, silky Mineral Characteristics Hardness Measures how easily a mineral can be scratched; to determine we will use the Mohs hardness scale Cleavage vs. Fracture Cleavage is when minerals break along smooth, flat surfaces and fracture is when minerals break unevenly Density A property of all matter; it is a ratio of an object’s mass to its volume D = m/v

  10. Examples of Luster Metallic luster Nonmetallic luster; glassy

  11. Mohs scale

  12. To Test for Hardness • The Mohs scale consists of minerals arranged from 1-10 with 1 being the softest and 10 being the hardest • Your fingernail has a hardness of 2.5, so if you can scratch the mineral with your nail then it must be less than 2.5 • A cooper penny has a hardness of 3.5 so if your nail can’t scratch a mineral but a penny can, then it must have a hardness between 2.5 and 3.5 • A wire nail has a hardness of 4.5 • A piece of glass has a hardness of 5.5 • A streak plate has a hardness of 6.5

  13. Cleavage vs. Fracture

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