1. Minerals Naturally occurring Inorganic= not from living materials.
Solid= particles pack tightly together.
Crystal structure= particles line up in repeating patterns.
Definite chemical composition= contains certain elements in the same proportions.

2. Identifying Minerals
Each mineral has its own characteristic that can be used to identify it.
Hardness
Color
Streak
Luster
Density
Crystal shape
Cleavage and Fracture

3. Crystal Structure
A crystal is a solid in which the atoms are arranged in a pattern that repeats again and again.
It is sort of like a repeating wallpaper pattern.
                             
                             
                         
                             

4. Birthstones January - Garnet July - Ruby
February - Amethyst August - Peridot
March Aquamarine September Sapphire
April – Diamond October - Opal
May – Emerald November - Topaz
June - Pearl December - Turquoise

6. Hardness Mohs hardness scale
Ranks ten minerals from softest to hardest based on their ability to be scratched.
Any mineral harder can scratch a softer mineral but a softer mineral can not scratch a harder mineral.

7. Mohs Hardness Scale
Minerals are ranked by hardness on a scale of 1(softest/graphite) to 10 (hardest/diamond). The scale is based on a scratch test.

8. Color
Not a great identifying factor since many minerals are the same color and the same mineral can be different colors.
All three of these are quartz.

9. Streak Color of the mineral powder.
Observe by rubbing on a streak plate.

10. Luster
Ability to reflect light. Dull to shiny
Metallic luster

11. Density
All minerals have a distinct density.

12. Crystal Shape
Mineral are grown atom by atom so each mineral has the same crystal shape.
Six groups = cubic, hexagonal, tetragonal, orthorhombic, monoclinic, triclinic.
Triclinic
Tetragonal

13. Cleavage and Fracture Cleavage = Easily splits along flat surfaces.
Fracture = what a mineral looks like when it breaks apart.

14. Special Properties
Fluorescence- some minerals glow under ultraviolet light ex.) Fluorite
Magnetism- some metallic minerals are naturally magnetic ex.) Magnetite
Effervescence- some minerals such as Calcite fizz when acid is placed on it
Electrical Properties- a few minerals, such as quartz produce an electrical current

16. Earth Science Reference Tables