Mineral Identification lab
By Vaughn Kuemper
Translucent Gypsum Chemical formula:
CaSO4-2H2O
Lustre: Cleavage: Colour:
non-metallic Perfect on {010} Colorless
Streak Colour: Hardness:
white Softer than a fingernail Moh’s Scale = 1.5
Golden Gypsum crystals
Special properties: Translucent Uses: drywall, plaster, fertilizer, and traditional Chinese medicine
Gypsum
Sources: -Wikipedia.com -Glencoe.com “Virtual Mineral Lab”
Barite
The Unit cell of Barite
Chemical formula: Lustre:
BaSO4 non-metallic
Cleavage: Colour: Streak Colour:
Yes, perfect cleavage parallel to base, and prism faces White, colorless, light shades of blue, yellow, grey, brown White
Harder than a fingernail, softer than glass Moh’s Scale = 3-3.5 Special properties: The term “Primary Baryte” refers to the first marketable product.
Barite
Hardness:
Uses:
Drilling fluids in oil and gas exploration.
Sources: -Wikipedia.com -Glencoe.com “Virtual Mineral Lab”
Talc Chemical formula: Lustre:
Mg3Si4O10(OH)2 non-metallic
Cleavage: Colour: Streak Colour:
Yes, Perfect on {001} White, brown White
Block of talc
Softer than a fingernail Moh’s Scale = 1 Special properties: It’s an important ingredient for makeup
Talc
Hardness:
Uses:
Paper making, plastic, paint, rubber, food, electric cable
Sources: -Wikipedia.com -Glencoe.com “Virtual Mineral Lab”
Quartz Chemical formula: Lustre:
SiO2 non-metallic
Cleavage: Colour: Streak Colour:
Yes, {0110} indistinct Colorless White
Harder than glass Moh’s Scale = 7 Special properties: Essential constituent of granite
Crystal structure of Quartz
Quartz
Hardness:
Uses:
jewelry, glass, stone tools
Sources: -Wikipedia.com -Glencoe.com “Virtual Mineral Lab”
Pyrite Chemical formula: Lustre:
FeS2 metallic
Cleavage: Colour: Streak Colour:
indistinct on {001} Pale brass-yellow greenish black
Crystal structure of Pyrite
Harder than glass Moh’s Scale = 6-6.5 Special properties: Enjoyed in the 16th and 17th century because of its use for ignition in firearms Uses: Mineral detector in radio recievers
Pyrite
Hardness:
Sources: -Wikipedia.com -Glencoe.com “Virtual Mineral Lab”
Graphite
Graphite's unit cell
Chemical formula: Lustre:
C metallic
Cleavage: Colour: Streak Colour:
Yes, Bascal – perfect on {0001} Iron-black to steel-gray; deep blue in transmitted light Black to grey
softer than a fingernail Moh’s Scale = 1-2 Special properties: Has a layered planar structure
Graphite
Hardness:
Uses:
Batteries, steelmaking, brake linings, and lubricants
Sources: -Wikipedia.com -Glencoe.com “Virtual Mineral Lab”
Magnetite
Crystal structure of Magnetite
Chemical formula: Lustre:
Fe2Fe32O4 metallic
Cleavage: Colour: Streak Colour:
Yes, indistinct, parting on {III}, very good Black, gray with brownish tint Black
Harder than glass Moh’s Scale = 5.5-6.5 Special properties: Magnetite carries the dominant magnetic signature in rocks
Magnetite
Hardness:
Uses:
Magnets, abrasive materials, jewlry
Sources: -Wikipedia.com -Glencoe.com “Virtual Mineral Lab”
Feldspar Chemical formula: Lustre:
KAISi3O8 non-metallic
Cleavage: Colour: Streak Colour:
Yes, two or three planes Pink, white, gray, brown White
Grey Feldspar
Harder than glass Moh’s Scale =6-6.5 Special properties: Mostly found in China, Italy, and Turkey
Feldspar
Hardness:
Uses:
Rubber, paint, plastic, glassmaking, tableware
Sources: -Wikipedia.com -Glencoe.com “Virtual Mineral Lab”
Biotite Mica
Biotite: Topotype deposit
Chemical formula: Lustre:
K(MgFE)3(AISi3O10)(FOG)2 non-metallic
Cleavage: Colour: Streak Colour:
Yes, perfect on the {001} Dark brown, greenish brown, blackish-brown, yellow White
Hardness:
soft as a fingernail Moh’s Scale = 2.5-3.0 Biotite has a highly perfect bascal cleavage
Special properties: Uses: rock.
Biotite Mica
Sources: -Wikipedia.com Constrain ages of rocks, assessing temperature of metamorphic -Glencoe.com “Virtual Mineral Lab”
Hematite
Crystal structure of hematite
Chemical formula: Lustre:
Fe2O3 metallic
Cleavage: Colour: Streak Colour:
none metallic grey, dull to bright red Bright red to dark red
Hardness: Special properties:
Soft as a fingernail Moh’s Scale = 5.5-6.5 Also referred to as the blood ore
Uses:
Jewelry, gilding, pottery
Hematite
Sources: -Wikipedia.com -Glencoe.com “Virtual Mineral Lab”