Earth Science: Identify minerals

Minerals Minerals

What is a mineral?What is a mineral?

A mineral is a natural solid that was never A mineral is a natural solid that was never living. living.

Minerals are NOT rocks. Minerals are NOT rocks.

Minerals are formed by pressure, Minerals are formed by pressure, temperature, and time. temperature, and time.

How can we identify minerals?How can we identify minerals?

How can we identify minerals?How can we identify minerals?

From their properties:From their properties:

ColorColor

StreakStreak

LusterLuster

Cleavage or FractureCleavage or Fracture

Hardness Hardness

ColorColor

Many minerals come in different colors, or Many minerals come in different colors, or can even change color. can even change color.

Different colors of Different colors of quartz quartz

StreakStreak

When a mineral is rubbed against When a mineral is rubbed against something hard, a powder is left. something hard, a powder is left.

A minerals streak will always have the A minerals streak will always have the same color. same color.

StreakStreak

LusterLuster

Minerals can reflect light. Minerals can reflect light.

They way light reflects is called luster. They way light reflects is called luster.

Many shine like metal, metallic lusterMany shine like metal, metallic luster

Some minerals have a nonmetallic luster.Some minerals have a nonmetallic luster.

CleavageCleavage

Minerals break in different ways. Minerals break in different ways.

A mineral that splits along a smooth, flat A mineral that splits along a smooth, flat surface has cleavage. surface has cleavage.

Cubic (halite) Flat Sheets ( mica )

FractureFracture

Some minerals do not break along a flat Some minerals do not break along a flat surface. surface.

Fractured minerals look like rough clumps Fractured minerals look like rough clumps or curved pieces. or curved pieces.

Curved (olivine) (quartz)

HardnessHardness

Minerals have different Minerals have different hardness's.hardness's.

Minerals are measured Minerals are measured from 1 to 10 on Mohs’ from 1 to 10 on Mohs’ hardness scale. hardness scale.