Properties of Minerals Chapter2.3

1
Properties of MineralsChapter2.3
2
Identifying MineralsGeologists use 5 properties
to identify minerals1. Color2. Streak3.
Luster4. Cleavage or Fracture5. Hardness
3
Color

• Small amounts of different elements can
• give the same mineral different colors
• Least important property when identifying minerals

Pink Quartz
Pink Sapphire
4
Streak

• Streak is the color of a mineral in its powdered
  form.

Hematite on the left Pyrite on the right
5
Luster

• Luster is used to describe how light is reflected
  from the surface of a mineral

Metallic Luster
Non Metallic Luster
6
Pyrite Displays Metallic Luster
Fools Gold
7
Cleavage

• Cleavage is the tendency of a mineral to break,
  along flat, even surfaces.

8
Fracture

• Minerals that do not show cleavage when broken
  are said to fracture.
• Fracturethe uneven breakage of a mineral

9
Hardness

• Hardness is a measure of the resistance of a
  mineral to being scratched.
• Mohs scale consists of 10 minerals arranged from
  10 (hardest) to 1 (softest).

10
(No Transcript)
11
Distinctive Properties

• Talc feels soapy
• Graphite feels greasy
• Magnetite is magnetic
• Calcite displays double refraction
• Sulfur smells like
• ________?
• Halite has what taste?

12
Distinctive Properties

• Limestone and Calcite will fizz when hydrochloric
  acid is dripped on them

13
Density

• Density is a property of all matter that is the
  ratio of an objects mass to its volume.