Table of Contents
- 1 Which properties are not commonly used to identify minerals?
- 2 What are the 7 ways to identify a mineral?
- 3 Which property of minerals is more likely related to cleavage?
- 4 What material is involved in a streak test?
- 5 Which is the most important property of a mineral?
- 6 What kind of mineral does not have a streak?
Which properties are not commonly used to identify minerals?
One of the most obvious properties of a mineral is color. Color should be considered when identifying a mineral, but should never be used as the major identifying characteristic.
What are the 7 ways to identify a mineral?
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- METHODS USED TO IDENTIFYING. MINERALS.
- CRYSTALS. One of the best ways to identify a mineral is by examining its crystal form (external shape).
- CLEAVAGE AND FRACTURE.
- COLOR.
- The hardness of a mineral can be measured by its resistance to scratching or abrasion.
- STREAK.
- LUSTER.
- SPECIFIC GRAVITY.
What property of a mineral indicates that it has cleavage?
Cleavage: In mineral terms, cleavage describes how a crystal breaks when subject to stress on a particular plane. If part of a crystal breaks due to stress and the broken piece retains a smooth plane or crystal shape, the mineral has cleavage.
The most common mineral that is strongly magnetic is the mineral magnetite. A special property that shows up in some sample of plagioclase feldspar is its tendency to exhibit striations on cleavage surfaces.
What material is involved in a streak test?
The streak test is done by scraping a specimen of the mineral across a piece of unglazed porcelain known as a “streak plate.” This can produce a small amount of powdered mineral on the surface of the plate. The powder color of that mineral known as its “streak.”
How are physical properties related to mineral identification?
The physical properties of minerals are related to their chemical composition and bonding. Some characteristics, such as a mineral’s hardness, are more useful for mineral identification. Color is readily observable and certainly obvious, but it is usually less reliable than other physical properties.
Which is the most important property of a mineral?
These four properties (luster, color, diaphaneity, and shape) are basic for mineral identification. Other properties including streak (the color of a mineral when powdered), the way a mineral breaks (cleavage, parting, fracture), and hardness are also common keys to identification. Still, other properties can be important for specific minerals.
What kind of mineral does not have a streak?
Many minerals, such as the quartz in the Figure above, do not have streak. To check streak, scrape the mineral across an unglazed porcelain plate ( Figure below ). Yellow-gold pyrite has a blackish streak, another indicator that pyrite is not gold, which has a golden yellow streak.
How is the hardness of a mineral determined?
Hardness. Hardness is a measure of whether a mineral will scratch or be scratched. Mohs Hardness Scale, shown in Table below, is a reference for mineral hardness. Mohs Hardness Scale: 1 (softest) to 10 (hardest).