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Mineral Identification Guide: Properties, Luster, and Special Characteristics

Learn about mineral identification methods such as color, luster, streak, cleavage, hardness, density, and special properties like fluorescence and magnetism. Understand how each unique feature helps in distinguishing different minerals effectively.

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Mineral Identification Guide: Properties, Luster, and Special Characteristics

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  1. Identifying Minerals • Each mineral has its own specific properties used to identify it.

  2. Color • The same mineral can come in a variety of colors • Ex. quartz • Impurities & other factors can change mineral appearance • Color is not the best way to identify minerals

  3. Describes how a surface reflects light Ex. shiny/dull Metallic- minerals containing metals are often shiny Nonmetallic Vitreous- glassy, brilliant Silky-fibrous Resinous-plastic Waxy- greasy, oily Pearly- creamy Earthy- rough, dull Luster

  4. Streak • Color of mineral in powder form • Observed by rubbing a mineral against a piece of unglazed porcelain called a streak plate • Streak doesn’t vary like color & is often different than a mineral’s color • More reliable than color

  5. Cleavage and Fracture • Way a mineral breaks apart determined by arrangement of atoms • Cleavage- breaks along flat surfaces • Fracture- mineral breaks in an irregular way

  6. Hardness • Minerals resistance to being scratched • Ranks minerals from softest to hardest • Talc- softest known mineral • Diamond- hardest known mineral

  7. Hardness

  8. Density • Mass in a given space/ mass per unit volume • D= M/V • Density remains same regardless of sample size • Mass determined using balance • Volume determined using water displacement method • Comparisons can be made by hefting • Specific Gravity- ratio of an object’s density to the density of water

  9. Special Properties • Fluorescence- minerals glow under ultraviolet light, ex. fluorite & calcite • Magnetism- ex. Magnetite • Radioactive- ex. contain radium or uranium • Effervescence- mineral fizzes (releases carbon dioxide) when in contact with hydrochloric acid, ex. calcite

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