Mineral identification BY JAKE JONEs
ALL INFO WAS FOUND ON WIKIPEDIA
BiotitE MICA
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Formula: K(Mg1Fe)3(AlSi3O10)(F1OH)2
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Color: Dark brown, greenish-brown, blackish-brown, yellow & white
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Cleavage: 1 plane
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Luster: Vitreous to pearly
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Streak: White
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Hardness: 2.5 - 3.0
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Special properties: Has a perfect basal cleavage and has flexible sheets that can flake off.
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Uses: Biotite is used to determine ages of rocks, by either potassium-argon dating or argon-argon dating.
cALCITE •
Formula: CaCO3
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Colour: Colourless, white, gray, yellow, green
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Cleavage: Cubic (3 planes)
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Hardness: 3
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Luster: Vitreous & pearly on cleavage surfaces
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Streak: White
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Special properties: Calcite can be either dissolved by groundwater or precipitated by groundwater.
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Uses: Calcite was used in World War II for gun sights.
feldspar •
Formula: KAlSi3O8
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Colour: Pink, white, gray & brown
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Cleavage: 2 or 3 planes
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Hardness: 6 - 6.5
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Luster: Vitreous
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Streak: White
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Special properties:
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Uses: Feldspar is a common raw material used in glassmaking, ceramics.
FLUORITE
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Formula: CaF2
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Colour: Colourless, white, purple, blue, green, yellow, orange, red, pink, brown & bluish black
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Cleavage: Octahedral (8 planes)
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Hardness: 4
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Luster: Vitreous
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Streak: White
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Special properties: Usable in the far-ultraviolet range.
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Uses: Lens for microscopes and telescopes.
Galena
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Formula: PbS
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Colour: Lead gray and silvery
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Cleavage: Cubic
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Hardness: 2.5 – 2.75
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Luster: Metallic
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Streak: Lead gray
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Special properties: Crystallizes in the cubic crystal system.
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Uses: The primary ore of lead which is mainly used in making lead-acid batteries and was used as kohl in Ancient Egypt.
Graphite
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Formula: C
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Colour: Iron-black, steel-gray, deep blue
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Cleavage: Basal
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Hardness: 1 – 2
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Luster: Metallic, earthy
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Streak: Black
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Special properties: Highly anisotropic
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Uses: Used in carbon fiber reinforced plastics.
GYPSUM
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Formula: CaSO4 2H20
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Colour: Colourless, white, yellow, tan, blue, pink, brown, reddish brown & gray
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Cleavage: Yes
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Hardness: 1.5 – 2
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Luster: Vitreous, silky, pearly or waxy
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Streak: White
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Special properties: Water-soluble
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Uses: Plaster ingredient, tofu coagulant
Halite
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Formula: NaCl
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Colour: Colourless, white, blue, purple, red, pink, yellow, orange & gray
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Cleavage: Cubic
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Hardness: 2 - 2.5
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Luster: Vitreous
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Streak: White
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Special properties: Water soluble
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Uses: Used for managing ice residentially and municipally.
HEMATITE •
Formula: Fe2O3
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Colour: Metallic gray, dull to bright red
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Cleavage: None
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Hardness: 5.5 – 6.5
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Luster: Metallic, splendent
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Streak: Bright to dark red
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Special properties: They all have a rust-red streak.
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Uses: Popular in the field of jewellery.
MAGNETITE
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Formula: Fe(II)2O4
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Colour: Black, gray, brownish tint
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Cleavage: Yes
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Hardness: 5.5 - 6.5
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Luster: Metallic
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Streak: Black
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Special properties: Magnetic
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Uses: Used as an early form on magnetic compass.
MUSCOVITE MICa
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Formula: KAl2(AlSi3O10)(F1OH)2
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Colour: White, gray, silvery
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Cleavage: Yes
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Hardness: 2 – 2.5
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Luster: Vitreous, silky, pearly
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Streak: White
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Special properties: It is anisotropic and has high birefringence.
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Uses: Key component in the manufacturing of fireproof and insulating materials.
PYRITE
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Formula: FeS2
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Colour: Pale brass – yellow
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Cleavage: Cubic
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Hardness: 6 – 6.5
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Luster: Metallic, glistening
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Streak: Greenish-black to brownish-black
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Special properties: Fools gold
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Uses: Used throughout the 16th and 17th centuries as a source of ignition in early firearms.
quartz
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Formula: SiO2
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Colour: Colourless, black
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Cleavage: Indistinct
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Hardness: 7
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Luster: Vitreous (Waxy to dull when massive)
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Streak: White
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Special properties: Pure quartz is colourless and transparent
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Uses: Rose quartz is carved into things like people or hearts.
Sulfur
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Formula: S
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Colour: Yellow
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Streak: Yellow
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Hardness: 2
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Cleavage: N/A
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Special properties: Has a faint odor similar to matches.
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Uses: Side product of other industrial processes such as oil refining.
talc •
Formula: Mg3Si4O10(OH)2
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Colour: Light to dark green, brown, white, gray
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Cleavage: Basal cleavage
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Hardness: 1
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Streak: White to pearl green
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Luster: Waxy or pearly
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Special properties: It has a perfect basal cleavage.
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Uses: Used in the processes of making things such as paper making, plastic, paint and coatings, rubber, food, electric cable, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and ceramics.