Minerals Physical Properties

talc U.S. Government. (Photographer). (2005). Talc block. [Print Photo]. Retrieved from http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Talc_block.jpg

talc Color – white, sea green, or gray Luster – pearly Hardness – 1 Streak – white to pale gray Cleavage – yes Fracture – uneven Uses – paint, baby powder, paper, rubber, cosmetics U.S. Government. (Photographer). (2005). Talc block. [Print Photo]. Retrieved from http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Talc_block.jpg

Gypsum Attribution: Rob Lavinsky, iRocks.com – CC-BY-SA-3.0. Image retrieved from: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gypsum-mz290b.jpg

Gypsum Color – white, gray, clear, yellow, red, brown Luster – glassy, pearly Hardness – 2 Streak – white Cleavage – yes Fracture – fibrous or thin Uses – wallboard, plaster, cement, plaster of Paris Lavinsky, R. (Photographer). (2010). Gypsum-mz290b. [Print Photo]. Retrieved from http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gypsum-mz290b.jpg

calcite Lavinsky, R. (Photographer). (2010). Calcite-230603. [Print Photo]. Retrieved from http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Calcite-230603.jpg

calcite Color – white, gray, clear, yellow, red, brown, green, blue, or orange Luster – glassy Hardness – 3 Streak – white Cleavage – yes Fracture – conchoidal (rounded) Uses – cement, medication, paint, soil treatment, concrete Lavinsky, R. (Photographer). (2010). Calcite-230603. [Print Photo]. Retrieved from http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Calcite-230603.jpg

Fluorite Lavinsky, R. (Photographer). (2010). Fluorite-flu34c. [Print Photo]. Retrieved from http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Fluorite-flu34c.jpg

fluorite Color – purple, clear, yellow, green, red, blue, pink, black Luster – glassy Hardness – 4 Streak – white Cleavage – yes Fracture – rounded to uneven Uses – in drinking water, ornamental, stone Lavinsky, R. (Photographer). (2010). Fluorite-flu34c. [Print Photo]. Retrieved from http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Fluorite-flu34c.jpg

Apatite Nolan, T. B. (Photographer). (n.d.). Apatite. [Print Photo]. Retrieved from http://libraryphoto.cr.usgs.gov/cgi-bin/show_picture.cgi?ID=ID. Nolan, T.B. 21

apatite Color – green, brown, blue, yellow, violet, clear Luster – glassy Hardness – 5 Streak – white Cleavage – no Fracture – rounded Uses – fertilizer, gemstone, part of teeth and bones Nolan, T. B. (Photographer). (n.d.). Apatite. [Print Photo]. Retrieved from http://libraryphoto.cr.usgs.gov/cgi-bin/show_picture.cgi?ID=ID. Nolan, T.B. 21

Orthoclase (Feldspar) Dyet, D. (Photographer). (2007). Feldspar 1659. [Print Photo]. Retrieved from http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Feldspar_1659.jpg

Orthoclase (Feldspar) Color – white, reddish, pink, yellow Luster – glassy Hardness – 6 Streak – white Cleavage – yes Fracture – uneven Uses – glass, ceramics, gemstone Dyet, D. (Photographer). (2007). Feldspar 1659. [Print Photo]. Retrieved from http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Feldspar_1659.jpg

Quartz (Points on rock base) Lavinsky, R. (Photographer). (2010). Quartz-179481. [Print Photo]. Retrieved from http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Quartz-179481.jpg

Quartz (Points on rock base) Color – clear, white, green, brown, black, yellow, purple, gray, red, pink Luster – glassy Hardness – 7 Streak – white Cleavage – no Fracture – conchoidal (rounded) Uses – glass making, optical, electronics Lavinsky, R. (Photographer). (2010). Quartz-179481. [Print Photo]. Retrieved from http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Quartz-179481.jpg

topaz Lavinsky, R. (Photographer). (2010). Topaz-rom16c. [Print Photo]. Retrieved from http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Topaz-rom16c.jpg

Topaz Color – green, yellow, amber, clear, white, blue, pink Luster – glassy Hardness – 8 Streak – colorless, harder than streak plate Cleavage – yes Fracture – uneven Uses – gemstone Lavinsky, R. (Photographer). (2010). Topaz-rom16c. [Print Photo]. Retrieved from http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Topaz-rom16c.jpg

corundum Lavinsky, R. (Photographer). (2010). Corundum-cu09c. [Print Photo]. Retrieved from http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Corundum-cu09c.jpg

Corundum (uncut sapphires) Color – gray, white, brown, red, green, yellow, blue Luster – glassy Hardness – 9 Streak – colorless, harder than streak plate Cleavage – no Fracture – conchoidal to uneven Uses – abrasive, polishing, gemstone, sandpaper Lavinsky, R. (Photographer). (2010). Corundum-cu09c. [Print Photo]. Retrieved from http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Corundum-cu09c.jpg

Diamond Lavinsky, R. (Photographer). (2010). Diamond-diad11c. [Print Photo]. Retrieved from http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Diamond-diad11c.jpg

Diamond (cut) Color – clear, green, yellow, red, blue, brown, orange, black Luster – brilliant Hardness – 10 Streak – colorless, harder than streak plate Cleavage – yes Fracture – conchoidal Uses – gemstone, abrasive Lavinsky, R. (Photographer). (2010). Diamond-diad11c. [Print Photo]. Retrieved from http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Diamond-diad11c.jpg