BASIC PROPERTIES OF MINERALS LAB NAME: ______________________________________
1
2
3
4
5
1
2
3
4
6
7
8
9
10
5
6
7
8
11
12
13
14
15
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
QUARTZ
FELDSPAR
FLUORITE
TALC
TOPAZ OR CORUNDUM
CALCITE
GYPSUM
MUSCOVITE
9. PYRITE
10. HEMATITE
11. HALITE
12. BORNITE
13. MAGNETITE
14. COPPER
15. GALENA
PART ONE – HARDNESS
Write YES or NO in the blanks below.
Question: Can the mineral be scratched by your fingernail?
Question: Can the mineral be scratched by a penny?
Question: Can the mineral scratch a glass plate?
Question: Can the mineral scratch quartz?
MINERAL
TALC
GYPSUM
CALCITE
FLUORITE
FELDSPAR
QUARTZ
TOPAZ OR
CORUMDUM
FINERNAIL
PENNY
DO NOT
ATTEMPT
GLASS PLATE
QUARTZ
Copy the definition of mineral hardness from the board:
When doing the hardness or “scratch” test, it’s important to observe what is actually
being scratched and what is doing the scratching. How could you tell?
Take the piece of chert or petrified wood.
Do a scratch test on the glass plate. What do you estimate is the hardness? _________
PART TWO – STREAK
Copy the definition of mineral streak from the board
Use the unglazed porcelain plate. Carefully make a mark on the plate with the
following minerals, one at a time. What color is the streak for each mineral?
PYRITE _________________________________ HEMATITE ____________________________________
SPHALERITE (I will provide sample) ___________________________________________________
Why don’t all minerals leave a streak on a porcelain plate?
PART THREE – OPTICAL PROPERTIES
Samples of optical calcite and optical ulexite will be brought to your table.
Observe the effects of each on light and answer the following questions.
What effect does optical calcite have on light?
What effect does optical ulexite have on light?
Examine the sample of bornite. What optical property is evident?
PART FOUR – BEACH SAND
With the hand lens, examine the zircon (light) and ilmenite (dark) colored sand, as
well as the ordinary beach sand. The sand-sized crystals of zircon and ilmenite were
separated from ordinary beach sand. I will bring by the containers that hold each of
the mineral sands. After holding each container, describe how these mineral
crystals may have been separated from the sand.
PART FIVE – FELDSPAR TO KAOLINITE
The common silicate mineral feldspar (#2 in kit) weathers (breaks down
chemically) to form the mineral, kaolinite, which is pure clay. Copy the equation
from the board showing the weathering of feldspar to kaolinite.
PART SIX – THE FIZZ TEST
Put a drop of dilute hydrochloric acid on the calcite (# 6). Hold it to your ear and
listen for the fizz sound. What is the cause of this fizz sound? What does this have
to do with the formation of caves in limestone?
PART SEVEN – HALITE
Halite (#11 in kit) is ordinary table salt. Examine crystals of table salt with a hand
lens. Observe the shape of the crystals. How do they compare with the larger
specimen in your kit?
Using a piece of black construction paper. Dip your Q-Tip in salt solution and create
a drawing. Be sure to print your name with the salt solution. Your picture will be
ready in a few hours, but not right away. Explain why it will take a few hours.