Identify the Minerals © Copyright M. J. Krech. All rights reserved. Can you identify these minerals?

1. What is this mineral? Properties: Hardness: Luster: Earthy, nonmetallic (but sometimes metallic) Streak: Red Color: Steel-gray, red, reddish-brown, or black Breakage: Fracture

1. This mineral is Hematite. Source of red pigments in paint Important iron ore Named from the Greek word for blood

2. What is this mineral? Properties: Hardness: Luster: Resinous, nonmetallic Streak: yellow-brown Color: yellow, brown, red, green, black and sometimes gray Breakage: Fracture

2. This mineral is Sphalerite. A principal source of zinc Sometimes called Zincblende Often associated with galena deposits Difficult for miners to distinguish from galena, so they named it sphalerite which is Greek for treacherous rock

3. What is this mineral? Properties: Cleavage: cubic Hardness: 2.5 Very heavy Luster: Metallic Color: Lead to silver gray Streak: Lead gray

3. This mineral is Galena. Most important ore of lead Used in X-ray shield aprons Associated with pyrite and chalcopyrite Some Galena may contain up to 1% silver in place of lead

4. What is this mineral? Properties : Color: white to green to gray Hardness: 1 (softest mineral on Moh’s scale) Streak: Wwhite Breakage: Perfect basal cleavage Luster: Nonmetallic - waxy or pearly Special Property: soapy feel

4. This mineral is Talc. Uses: heat-resistant science lab countertops, paints, insecticides A specimen of what looks like a milky quartz will be a big surprise when it has a soapy feel and can be scratched by a fingernail!

5. What is this mineral? Properties: Color: Colorless or tinted gray, brown, yellow, green, or rarely, red or violet Hardness: Streak: White Breakage: Perfect basal cleavage - splits into thin sheets Luster: Nonmetallic - vitreous, pearly

5. This mineral is Mica. Also called: Muscovite Uses: fireproofing, lubricant, old-fashioned wood stove windows Sheets of muscovite have high heat and electrical insulating properties and are used to make electrical components

6. What is this mineral? Color: Yellow-brown to dark brown Streak: Brownish yellow to yellow Luster: Nonmetallic - Earthy (dull) Hardness: Breakage: Fracture

6. This mineral is Limonite. Important source of iron Associated with hematite, another iron ore

7. What is this mineral? Properties: Color: Usually white Hardness: Streak: White Breakage: Basal cleavage Luster: Nonmetallic - Earthy (dull)

Source of clay for ceramics Used in toothpaste and medicine 7. This mineral is Kaolinite.

8. What is this mineral? Properties: Color: Clear if no impurities, then pink, gray, purple, yellow, green, brown, orange Hardness: 7 Streak: White Breakage: Conchoidal Fracture Luster: Nonmetallic - Vitreous

8. This mineral is Quartz. Uses: lenses, glass, digital watches, sandpaper Quartz crystals often line the interior of a Geode

9. What mineral is this? Properties: Color: white, gray, yellow, red, orange, and rarely, green Hardness: 6 Streak: White Breakage: Cleavage Luster: Nonmetallic - vitreous to pearly

9. This mineral is Feldspar. Used in the manufacture of porcelain, and scouring powder When pearly - called Moonstone and used in jewelry

10. What mineral is this? Properties: Color: White to gray to pink Hardness: Streak: White Breakage: Conchoidal Fracture, sometimes fibrous Luster: Nonmetallic - vitreous to silky to pearly

10. This mineral is Gypsum. Used to make blackboard chalk, toothpaste, surgical casts, plaster of Paris, and drywall

The End Your house came from a mine! If it can’t be grown, it must be mined! List 10 things in your house that originally came from a mine. © Copyright M. J. Krech. All rights reserved.