Process First, Names Second A Few Examples of Physical Properties Used to Identify Minerals Required materials: Specimens of calcite, quartz, talc, pyrite, magnetite, mica, graphite, orthoclase (any feldspar mineral will due), streak plate, small piece of glass, magnet, and a piece of paper. The next slide serves as a home page for seven different minerals. Students should have eight specimens of available to them. Only seven will be directly named. The last is accomplished by inference. Click on any one of the pictured minerals. A query requiring the user to make a decision about a specific diagnostic mineral property will appear. Teacher intervention to explain the property may be done at this time or a more exploratory path may ve taken by allowing the leaner to work through the remaining sppecimens. A click on the correct answer will open another decision about another property used to identify the pictured mineral. Eventually the mineral’s name will be revealed. mineral. Classroom specimens are frequently memorized by learners and this fact can influence assessment. Application of how various properties are applied to the identification of additional or never before seen specimens may lead to more realistic outcomes. More often than not, progress may be seen when the student begins to mention properties to name a mineral. Click Here To Start

1 3 2 5 4 6 7 See if you can identify the minerals shown below. Click on a mineral photo to get started. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Mineral #1 Is it? or How did you do? Use the Home Metallic or Submetallic Luster Nonmetallic Luster Can be scratched with a nail Scratches glass How did you do? Use the Home Button on the bottom right to pick the next mineral. Breaks Rhombic Marks Paper Clear, Splits Into sheets Calcite

Mineral #2 Is it? or How did you do? Use the Home Metallic or Submetallic Luster Nonmetallic Luster Can be scratched with a nail Scratches Glass How did you do? Use the Home Button on the bottom right to pick the next mineral. Pink Color Shows Cleavage Will Scratch Orthoclase Quartz

Mineral #3 Is it? or How did you do? Use the Home Metallic or Submetallic Luster Nonmetallic Luster Can be Scratched with a Nail Scratches Glass Very Soft Scratched with a Fingernail How did you do? Use the Home Button on the bottom right to pick the next mineral. Breaks Square or Rectang-ular Magnetic Talc

Mineral #4 Is it? or How did you do? Use the Home Metallic or Submetallic Luster Nonmetallic Luster Reddish Streak Grey or Black Streak How did you do? Use the Home Button on the bottom right to pick the next mineral. Marks Paper Gold Color Magnetic Pyrite

Mineral #5 Is it? or How did you do? Use the Home Metallic or Submetallic Luster Nonmetallic Luster Reddish Streak Grey or Black Streak How did you do? Use the Home Button on the bottom right to pick the next mineral. Breaks Square or Rectang-ular Marks Paper Magnetic Magnetite

Mineral #6 Is it? or How did you do? Use the Home Metallic or Submetallic Luster Nonmetallic Luster Can be scratched with a nail Scratches Glass How did you do? Use the Home Button on the bottom right to pick the next mineral. Clear, Splits Into Sheets Feels Heavy Reddish Streak Mica

Mineral #7 Is it? or How did you do? Use the Home Metallic or Submetallic Luster Nonmetallic Luster Reddish Streak Grey or Black Streak How did you do? Use the Home Button on the bottom right to pick the next mineral. Breaks Square or Rectang-ular Looks Glittery Marks Paper Graphite