Download Minerals

873996205
6/20/2017
Quartz
 SiO2
 harder than steel
 no cleavage
 usually not green color
 usually glassy
Crystal Quartz (amathyst)
Chalcedony
 waxy (candle wax)
Page 1 of 6
873996205
6/20/2017
Plagioclase
 NaAlSi3O8 to CaAl2Si2O8
 one of two feldspars (60% of minerals on
Earth’s surface)
 striations
 harder than steel
 good cleavage
 white to gray
Orthoclase (K-feldspar)
 KAlSi3O8
 one of two feldspars
 harder than steel
 good cleavage
 if salmon-pink, usually orthoclase
 white to gray or pink
calcite





CaCO3
between fingernail & nail hardness
good cleavage
react to HCl directly
any color of the rainbow
calcite, dolomite, halite, fluorite: harder than fingernail but softer than steel
process of elimination (calcite, dolomite, halite, fluorite)
Page 2 of 6
873996205
6/20/2017
dolomite
 CaMg(CO3)2
 between fingernail & nail hardness
 good cleavage
 react to HCl when powdered
 any color of the rainbow
fluorite
 CaF2
 sometimes shows cleavage
 purple, yellow, green
halite
 NaCl
 salt taste
 cubic cleavage
Page 3 of 6
873996205
6/20/2017
gypsum
 CaSO4۰2H2O
 very soft
 1 distinct cleavage (flat rocks)
 transparent to white
talc





Mg3Si4O10(OH)2
very soft
soapy
1 distinct cleavage
white to light green
muskovite
 KAl3Si3O10(OH)2
 one of two micas
 very good cleavage
 sparkle
 hardness about the same as fingernail
 light color
Page 4 of 6
873996205
6/20/2017
biotite






K(Mg,Fe)3AlSi3O10(OH)2
one of two micas
very good cleavage
sparkle
hardness about the same as fingernail
dark color
olivine
 (Fe, Mg)2SiO4
 properties of quartz
 green
garnet






Ca3Al2Si3O12
hardness 7 (like quartz)
shiny
diamond-shaped
faces
any color
Page 5 of 6
873996205
6/20/2017
amphibole
 Ca2(Mg,Fe)5Si8O22(OH)2
 good cleavage (sharp angle)
 better, longer cleavage than pyroxenes
 shiny, splintered
 black to brown
pyroxene
 (Mg,Fe)2SiO3
 right angle cleavage
 dull luster
 nearly black but some green
Page 6 of 6