Lab Exercises 1 & 2

Physical Geology Helpful Lab Hints

Exercises 1 & 2: Minerals

Use the Table provided at the beginning of the semester or provided
- view mineral ID table
- download mineral ID table
Identify the properties of the minerals using the descriptions on pages 2 - 11.
- Start with the properties that have already been identified. For example minerals 1, 3, and 6 Do you get the same answer?
- Look at similar minerals (ie. 1 & 2 have the same type of cleavage)
- Streak: Be sure to use the black and white plates. If the mineral is harder than the streak plate (hardness 6.5 to 7), you will not get a streak.
- Hardness: Use the common items listed in the Table on page 4.
Identify the minerals using the physical properties.
- Start with the flow chart on page 25.
- Use the appropriate Table on pages 26-30.
Final questions:
- Compare the chemical formulas of mineral 1-9 to the formula for mineral 10 (kaolinite). Which are similar? Could you make kaolinite by slightly altering the formulas of any of the first nine minerals?
- Minerals are placed into groups (such as: silicates, oxides,etc.) Use the Table on page 30-31 to determine which of the minerals you examined falls into each of the groups listed.
- Gem-quality minerals look much nicer than the hand samples you examined. Which of the minerals you examined would be considered a gemstone if the quality were high enough?