Minerals and their Characteristics
• By Tyler Kohler
Gypsum Green Gypsum
Chemical Formula:
Yellow gypsum
CaSO4路2H2O
Luster: Non metallic Cleavage: 10 aka super perfect cells
Colour: colourless
^ Special invisible gypsum ooooooooo
Streak Colour: No streak/white Hardness: Softer than nail Uses:
Drywall, plaster,
Sources: wikipedia
Fabulous pink Halite
Aquamarine halite
Chemical Formula: NaCl Luster: Vitreous Clevage: : perfect 001 Colour: Colorless or white; also blue, purple, red, Streak Colour: White Hardness: 2 - 2.5 Uses:
Halite is used to manage ice with brine
S o u r
Chemical Formula: K(Mg,Fe)3(AlSi3O10)(F,OH)2 Luster:
Vitreous to pearly
Clevage:
Perfect on the {001} Dark brown, greenish-brown
Colour:
Streak Colour: Hardness: Uses:
White
2.5–3.0
To constrain ages of rocks
Chemical Formula: PbS Luster: Metallic Clevage: Cubic perfect on [001] Colour: Lead gray and silvery Streak Colour: Lead gray Hardness: 2.5–2.75 Uses: One of the oldest uses of galena was as kohl, which, in Ancient Egypt, was applied around the eyes to reduce the glare of the desert sun and to repel flies, which were a potential source of disease.
Chemical Formula: C Luster: Metallic, earthy Clevage: Basal – perfect on {0001} Colour: Iron-black to steel-gray; deep blue in transmitted light Streak Colour: Hardness: 1-2 Uses: Electrodes, Power and Scrap, Neutron Moderator.
Chemical Formula: KAlSi3O8 – NaAlSi3O8 – CaAl2Si2O8 Luster: Vitreous Clevage: two or three pink, white, gray, brown Colour: Streak Colour: white Hardness: 6.0-6.5 Uses: Glassmaking, ceramics
Chemical Formula: X2Y4–6Z8O20(OH,F)4 Luster: Clevage: Colour: Grey Streak Colour: Hardness: 2.8 Uses:
Chemical Formula: CaF2 Luster: Vitreous Clevage: Octahedral, perfect on {111} Colorless, white, purple, blue, green, yellow, Colour: orange, red, pink, brown, bluish black Streak Colour: White Hardness: 4 (defining mineral) Uses:
Fluorite is a major source of hydrogen fluoride, a commodity chemical used to produce a wide range of materials.
Chemical Formula: Luster: Waxlike or pearly Clevage: Perfect on {001} Colour: Light to dark green, brown, white,grey Streak Colour: White to pearl green Hardness: 1 Uses: Talc is used in many industries such as paper making, plastic, paint and coatings, rubber, food, electric cable, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, ceramics, etc.
Chemical Formula: S Luster: Clevage: Colour: Yellow, Blue, Green Streak Colour: Hardness: 2 Uses:
Chemical Formula: KAl2(AlSi3O10)(F,OH)2 Luster: Vitreous, silky, pearly Clevage: Perfect on the {001} Colour: White, Grey, Silvery Streak Colour: White Hardness: 4 right angle to {001} Uses: idklol
Chemical Formula: CaCO3 Luster: Non-Metallic Clevage: Perfect on [1011] Colour: Colorless or white, also gray, yellow, green, Streak Colour: White Hardness: 3 (defining mineral) Uses: ?
Chemical Formula: Fe2O3, ι-Fe2O3 Luster: Metallic to splendent Clevage: None Colour: Metallic gray, dull to bright red Streak Colour: Bright red to dark red Hardness: 5.5–6.5 Uses: The spectral signature of hematite was seen on the planet Mars by the infrared spectrometer on the NASA Mars Global Surveyor ("MGS") and 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft in orbit around Mars.
Chemical Formula: FeS2 Luster: Metallic, glistening Clevage: Indistinct on {001} Colour: Pale brass-yellow reflective; tarnishes darker and iridescent Streak Colour: Hardness: 6–6.5 Uses: cool to look at
Chemical Formula: SiO2 Luster: Vitreous – waxy to dull when massive Clevage: {0110} Indistinct Colour: Colorless through various colors to black Streak Colour: Hardness: 7 – lower in impure varieties Uses: Piezoelectricity