Mineral Identification Worksheet

Mineral Identification Worksheet 1 Part 1: Recording Observations In the chart below, record your observations of each test for the seven minerals provided. After you have completed all tests, name the minerals in Part 2 of this worksheet. An example of how to fill out the chart is illustrated. Recorded observations for minerals 1–7 Tests Example Mineral 1 Mineral 2 Mineral 3 Mineral 4 Mineral 5 Mineral 6 Mineral 7 Color White Gold Green White Pink White White Black/ Green Streak White Black White White White White White Brown Luster Shiny Specs of light Shiny Shiny Shiny/dull Pearly Shiny Specs of light Specific gravity 3.18 5.10 2.80 2.70 2.60 2.65 2.40 2.20 Cleavage and fracture Cleavage Fracture Fracture Cleavage Fracture Fracture Cleavage Fracture Hardness 4 5.4-6 2.9 2.9 6.1 6.1-10 2.9 1-2 Acid No reaction No reaction No reaction Active bubbles and fizz No reaction No reaction No reaction No reaction Mineral Identification Worksheet 2 Part 2: Naming the Minerals Name the minerals in the table below. Then, insert a percentage of how certain you are in your identification. Finally, explain your percentage of certainty: What was confusing about this mineral? What other minerals do you think it could be? Note. Be specific regarding the test you performed and the results, even if you are 100% certain of the mineral’s identification. Remember, the minerals in the virtual lab include seven of the following: borax, calcite, corundum, graphite, gypsum, orthoclase feldspar, pyrite, quartz, talc, and topaz. Identification of mineral Example: Fluorite Percent certain Explanation of certainty 80% certain I am almost certain this mineral is fluorite, but I am not completely sure. Fluorite and gypsum are both white, shiny, have white streaks, cleave, and show no reaction to acid. However, the specific gravity of this mineral is 3.18, which is higher than gypsum, so I am pretty sure it is fluorite. 100% certain The mineral is gold, it has a black streak, has shiny specs the specific gravity is 5.1 and that is in between the numbers (4.9-5.2) in the reference sheet for specific gravity. The mineral has fracture, there is no reaction to acid and there is no damage when scratched with a penny, but damage appears when scratched with a file, giving it a hardness of 6.0. 100% certain The mineral is green, it has a white streak, has shiny specs, the specific gravity is 2.8, it fractures. Mineral is scratched by a penny. And there is no reaction to acid. I am sure it is Talc. 90% certain The mineral is white, it has a white streak, it is shiny, the specific gravity is about 2.7. It has cleavage. It is scratched by a penny and there is bubbles and fizz. I am still a little unsure with the hardness on this mineral. 90% certain The mineral is pink, it has a white streak, I am not sure if it is shiny or Mineral 1: Pyrite Mineral 2: Talc Mineral 3: Calcite Mineral 4: Orthoclase Feldspar Mineral Identification Worksheet 3 dull since the simulator is not that good. But basing myself on the Mineral Identification chart, this mineral has all the qualities of Feldspar. It has a specific gravity of 2.6, its hardness is 6.0 and there is no reaction to acid. Mineral 5: Quartz 100% certain The mineral is white, it has a white streak, it is shiny, it has a specific gravity of 2.65, it has fracture, the hardness is between 6.1-10 and there is no reaction to acid. This mineral meets all the qualities listed for quartz in the mineral identification sheet. 100% certain The mineral is white, it has a white streak, it is shiny. The specific gravity is 2.40. It has cleavage and a hardness level of 2. There is no reaction to acid. 90% certain I wasn’t totally sure about this mineral being graphite due to being unable to identify the color. I was in between green and black, but I am leaning more to black due to the test results on this mineral. It was a brown streak, it has shiny specs, it has a specific gravity of 2.2, it fractures, and the hardness is about 1-2. It has no reaction to acid. Mineral 6: Gypsum Mineral 7: Graphite Part 3: Summary Questions Respond in at least 100 words to each. 1. Write a summary answering the following: What are the four requirements for a material to be classified as a mineral? How do you differentiate between minerals? Briefly summarize the six methods used to tell minerals apart. Summarize the major differences between minerals and rocks. The properties most often used to identify minerals are the quality and intensity of light reflected from the mineral, the crystal form and habit of the mineral, its hardness, its tendency to break in preferred directions, its color, and its specific gravity or density. Color, perhaps the most obvious characteristic, is often the least reliable identifier. The four requirements for a material to be classified as a mineral are as follows, it must be a naturally occurring solid, second it must be formed by inorganic processes, third, it must have a characteristic crystal structure and fourth, it must have a specific chemical composition. The main differences between minerals and rocks are that a mineral is a naturally occurring, inorganic compound with a unique chemical structure and physical properties. A rock is a solid, Mineral Identification Worksheet 4 stony mass composed of a combination of minerals or other organic compounds. An important distinction between minerals and rocks is that rocks are collections of minerals stuck together or intergrown. 2. The rock cycle describes how rocks are created and recycled to form other rocks. Why are minerals important to the rock cycle? I believe that minerals are important to the rock cycle because this is how the formation of a rock begins. Rocks are usually the collection of minerals stuck together. Rocks are made up of different types of minerals, and other times only made up of one type. The minerals in some rocks are held together, and in other they are easily broken apart. The forces holding those minerals together is chemical. I think the mineral content of a rock determines to what family it belongs to. For example igneous and metamorphic rocks are the most similar because they both have intricately interlocked minerals.