1. 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

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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