Mineral Identification Lab

Warm Up – Page 26Warm Up – Page 26

1.1. What are the 5 characteristics What are the 5 characteristics of a mineral?of a mineral?

2.2. Copy down today’s EQ and Copy down today’s EQ and date on page 27.date on page 27.

3.3. Turn in your syllabus (only the Turn in your syllabus (only the bottom portion)bottom portion)

4.4. Have your notebook open to Have your notebook open to your vocab homeworkyour vocab homework

How do we identify How do we identify minerals?minerals?

Mineral Identification Mineral Identification LabLab

Minerals are identified by Minerals are identified by theirtheir

1.1. HardnessHardness – a – a mineralmineral can can scratchscratch any mineral any mineral softersofter than than itself but will be itself but will be scratchedscratched by a by a mineral mineral harderharder than itself than itself

a.a. MohsMohs Hardness Scale – ranks Hardness Scale – ranks minerals from minerals from softestsoftest to to hardest on a scale of one to hardest on a scale of one to ten. ten. TalcTalc is the softest is the softest known mineral, and known mineral, and diamonddiamond is the hardest known mineral.is the hardest known mineral.

Minerals are identified by Minerals are identified by theirtheir

2.2. Color – some Color – some mineralsminerals are are always the same always the same colorcolor (sulfur is always yellow, (sulfur is always yellow, malachitemalachite is always green is always green and azurite is always and azurite is always blueblue); ); most minerals come in a most minerals come in a varietyvariety of colors of colors

http://www.minresco.com

http://www.gems-afghan.com

http://www.globalcrystals.com

http://www.prettyrock.com

Minerals are identified by Minerals are identified by theirtheir

3.3. StreakStreak – the color of a – the color of a mineral’s mineral’s powder;powder; the color the color of a mineral’s streak does of a mineral’s streak does not not changechange like the color of like the color of the mineral maythe mineral may

http://www.uky.edu/KGS

Streak is the color of a mineral powder. Many minerals appear a different color when powdered than they do as a big piece. The color may be entirely different, or it may be a different shade.

http://cmsc.minotstateu.edu

http://cmsc.minotstateu.edu

Minerals are identified by Minerals are identified by theirtheir

4.4. Luster – how a mineral Luster – how a mineral reflectsreflects light from its light from its surfacesurface; some ways to ; some ways to describe luster are describe luster are shiny,shiny, earthy, earthy, metallic,metallic, waxy, and waxy, and pearlypearly

Copyright © Dr. Richard Busch

Courtesy United States Geological Survey Courtesy United States Geological Survey

Each reflects light differently – that is luster!

Which of these words would you use to describe these minerals?Glassy, metallic, dull, silky, waxy, pearly

Waxy luster

Glassy luster

dull luster

metallic luster metallic luster

Glassy luster

Minerals are identified by Minerals are identified by theirtheir

5.5. DensityDensity – all minerals have – all minerals have a a characteristiccharacteristic density; no density; no matter the size of the matter the size of the sample, its density will sample, its density will remainremain the the samesame

How tightly packed the atoms are will make something heavy.

Every mineral has its own density.

These two items may have the same size – but do not weigh the same.

Why?? Because the brick has atoms that are more tightly packed together than the styrofoam.

This means for equal size, they have their own special weight.

http://www.palagems.com

Which one is worth more?

How could you tell?

The first one is topaz (worth a lot) and the second is citrine quartz (not worth a lot).

A scientist would measure their densities and they would be different!

Copyright © Dr. Richard Busch

http://www.wired-artist-jewelry.comhttp://webphysics.davidson.edu

http://www.fabreminerals.com

http://www.fabreminerals.com

Crystal video clip

Minerals are identified by Minerals are identified by theirtheir

6.6. Crystal System – the crystal Crystal System – the crystal structuresstructures are divided into are divided into sixsix groupsgroups

a.a. CubicCubicb.b. HexagonalHexagonalc.c. TetragonalTetragonald.d. OrthorhombicOrthorhombice.e. MonoclinicMonoclinicf.f. TriclinicTriclinic

Cleavage means it breaks the same way every time.

Fracture means it breaks in a random pattern that cannot be predicted.

www.mrsciguy.com

Calcite and halite break a special way.

donsmaps.com www.visionlearning.com

Quartz and chert break in a random pattern. There is not way to predict how they break.

Minerals are identified by Minerals are identified by theirtheir

7.7. Cleavage and Cleavage and fracturefracture – the – the way a mineral way a mineral breaksbreaks apart apart helps us identify ithelps us identify it

a.a.CleavageCleavage – splits – splits apartapart along along flatflat surface surface

b.b.Fracture – breaks apart in Fracture – breaks apart in an an irregularirregular way way

Minerals are identified by Minerals are identified by theirtheir

8.8. Special Special PropertiesProperties – some – some minerals are identified by minerals are identified by their special propertiestheir special propertiesa.a.FluorescenceFluorescence – minerals – minerals

that glow under that glow under ultraviolet lightultraviolet light

b.b.MagnetismMagnetismc.c. RadioactiveRadioactived.d.Chemically ReactiveChemically Reactivee.e.ElectricalElectrical Properties Properties

Special PropertiesSpecial Properties

MagnetismRadioactivity Chemical Reaction

Fluorescence

Salty TasteBut NEVER taste things in the lab! Double Image

Warm Up – Page 26Warm Up – Page 26

What are the 8 ways we can What are the 8 ways we can identify minerals?identify minerals?

Is Your Sample . . .?Is Your Sample . . .?

StreakStreak

Your Sample IsYour Sample Is

Hematite – 3Hematite – 3 Hematite is a compound – Hematite is a compound –

FeFe22OO33 (iron and oxygen) (iron and oxygen) Start Over

Your Sample IsYour Sample Is

Pyrite – 4Pyrite – 4 Pyrite is a compound – FeSPyrite is a compound – FeS22

(iron and sulfur)(iron and sulfur) Start Over

HardnessHardness

Penny (1-2)Penny (1-2)

Your Sample IsYour Sample Is

Magnetite – 14 Magnetite – 14 Magnetite is a compound – Magnetite is a compound –

FeFe+2+2FeFe22+3+3OO44 (iron and (iron and

oxygen)oxygen) Start Over

LusterLuster

Your Sample IsYour Sample Is

Galena (7)Galena (7) Galena is a compound – PbS Galena is a compound – PbS

(lead and sulfur)(lead and sulfur) Start Over

Your Sample IsYour Sample Is

Graphite – 9Graphite – 9 Graphite is an element – C Graphite is an element – C

(carbon)(carbon) Start Over

ColorColor

Yellow Other

Your Sample IsYour Sample Is

Sulfur – 8Sulfur – 8 Sulfur is an element - SSulfur is an element - S Start Over

HardnessHardness

Fingernail Penny 6+

Your Sample IsYour Sample Is

Calcite – 5Calcite – 5 Calcite is a compound – Calcite is a compound –

CaCOCaCO33 (calcium, carbon, and (calcium, carbon, and oxygen)oxygen)

Start OverStart Over

LusterLuster

GlassyGlassy PearlyPearly

ColorColor

Colorless/WhiteColorless/White BrownishBrownish

Your Sample IsYour Sample Is

Halite – 15Halite – 15 Halite is a compound – NaCl Halite is a compound – NaCl

(Sodium and Chloride – salt)(Sodium and Chloride – salt) Start OverStart Over

Your Sample IsYour Sample Is

Muscavite Mica – 2Muscavite Mica – 2 Muscavite Mica is a Muscavite Mica is a

compound – KAlcompound – KAl22(Si(Si33AlOAlO1010))(OH,F)(OH,F)2 2 (Potassium, (Potassium, Aluminum, Silicon, Oxygen, Aluminum, Silicon, Oxygen, Hydrogen, and Fluorine)Hydrogen, and Fluorine)

Start OverStart Over

ColorColor

Pale Green/Gray/WhitePale Green/Gray/White Colorless/WhiteColorless/White

Your Sample IsYour Sample Is

Talc – 13Talc – 13 Talc is a compound – Talc is a compound –

MgMg99SiSi44OO1010(OH)(OH)44 (magnesium, (magnesium, silicon, oxygen, hydrogen)silicon, oxygen, hydrogen)

Start OverStart Over

Your Sample IsYour Sample Is

Gypsum – 12Gypsum – 12 Gypsum is a compound – Gypsum is a compound –

CaSOCaSO44*2H*2H22O (Calcium, O (Calcium, Sulfur, Oxygen, Hydride)Sulfur, Oxygen, Hydride)

Start OverStart Over

LusterLuster

GlassyGlassy PearlyPearly

Your Sample IsYour Sample Is

Microcline FeldsparMicrocline Feldspar Microcline Feldspar is a Microcline Feldspar is a

compound – KAlSicompound – KAlSi33OO88 (Potassium, Aluminum, (Potassium, Aluminum, Silicon, and Oxygen)Silicon, and Oxygen)

Start OverStart Over

Your Sample IsYour Sample Is

QuartzQuartz Color – Clear/colorless – Rock Color – Clear/colorless – Rock Quartz – 10Quartz – 10

Color – Pink – Rose Quartz – Color – Pink – Rose Quartz – 66

Quartz is a compound – SiOQuartz is a compound – SiO22 (Silicon and Oxygen)(Silicon and Oxygen)

Start OverStart Over

Conclusion – Page 26 Out Conclusion – Page 26 Out activityactivity

What was the easiest mineral What was the easiest mineral property to identify?property to identify?

What was the hardest mineral What was the hardest mineral property to identify?property to identify?

What did you learn from this lab?What did you learn from this lab? Write a haiku about minerals. A Write a haiku about minerals. A

haiku is a three line poem with 7 haiku is a three line poem with 7 syllables in the first line, 5 in the syllables in the first line, 5 in the second, and 7 in the third. It second, and 7 in the third. It does not rhyme.does not rhyme.