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Identifying Minerals

Learn how to identify minerals using color, luster, streak, cleavage, fracture, and hardness. Discover the importance of these properties in mineral classification and differentiation. Understand how to use these key characteristics when determining if a substance is a mineral or non-mineral.

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Identifying Minerals

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  1. Identifying Minerals Section 2 Page 70

  2. Determine if each of the following is a mineral or a nonmineral, and explain your answers: helium, gold, water, ice.

  3. Color • Color by itself IS NOT sufficient to identify a mineral • The same mineral can be found in a variety of colors • Things that change color • Impurities • Exposure to air or water (other elements)

  4. Luster- How the material reflects light 3 main types of luster • Metallic-shiny, bright and reflective • Example : silver, copper, etc • Sub metallic: having the look of a metal that is dulled by weathering or corrosion; and dull , reflective • Example: Euxenite

  5. Luster (Nonmetallic) Pollucite • Vitreous (glassy) – • example: quartz, tourmaline • Resinous (like resin or sap from a tree) – • example: sphalerite • Greasy or waxy – • example: turquoise Sphalerite Nepheline and cancrinite

  6. Luster (Nonmetallic) • Pearly – having the iridescent look of mother-of-pearl (though usually just barely); • example: talc • Silky – having the look of silk, fine parallel fibers of mineral • example: asbestos Stellerite Gypsum

  7. Streak • The color of powder form of the mineral left on a porcelain plate called a streak plate (must be softer than the porcelain) • The streak color is not effected by environment so it more reliable than color

  8. Cleavage • The way the mineral splits along flat surfaces or tendency to break smooth • Determined by the arrangement of the atoms • Not all minerals have cleavage

  9. Fracture • The tendency to break unevenly along curved or irregular surfaces • These minerals do not have planes of weakness and break irregularly.

  10. Hardness • Hardness • How easily the mineral can be scratched • Can be compared to the hardness of other minerals by using the Mohs scale

  11. Hardness

  12. Log: Dec. 7th What do geologist uses to determine how hard a mineral is? What are the 3 types of luster? What things can I use to identify minerals?

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