GEOLOGY STUDY GUIDE
Module exam GL1 June 2005
MINERALS AND ROCKS
Geology Department, Greenhead College, Huddersfield.
Your name .....…………………….................................................
Date .........……………...........
LEARNING TARGETS
margin notes
When you have completed this study guide, you will:

Be able to define what a mineral is

Have learnt the main properties of minerals

Be able to identify the most common minerals

Have learnt the skill of describing minerals in hand specimen

Be able to say what a rock is and define rock texture

Have learnt the skill of describing rock textures from hand specimens

Have seen rocks used as building stones.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
VC/Dept/Geol/013
page 1
GEOLOGY STUDY GUIDE
Module exam GL1 June 2005
Resources
Here is a choice of resources to use. You do not need to look at them all but clearly the more you read the
better your knowledge of case studies will be. Tick the box once you have used the resource.
If you read a photocopied extract then highlight it to help you reread it for revision. If you make notes
from a video tape make sure that the notes are headed with the name of the tape so that you know the
source of your information.














MIN1
MIN2
MIN3
MIN4
MIN5
MIN6
MIN7
MIN8
MIN9
MIN10
MIN11
MIN12
MIN13



Websites
www.geolsoc.org.uk/ Go to Teaching Resources
www.mineral.galleries.com/Minerals/By_Name.htm
geology.about.com/science/geology/cs/mineralogy/index.htm
Understanding Geology David Webster p 19-25
Geoscience Edwards and King p 47-51
Geological Science by Andrew McLeish p 9-13
Video Earth Revealed- Minerals Tape 47 30 mins
CD Rom Earthquest
Library Eyewitness Visual Dictionary of the Earth
Library NHM Gemstones
Library NHM Agates
Library NHM Crystals
Identification key
Library Skinner, B.J. and Porter, S.C., The Dynamic Earth Chap 2
Video Rocks in the Field Tape 55 23 mins
Powerpoints on Mineral Properties and identification
There are many other websites you could search.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
VC/Dept/Geol/013
page 2
GEOLOGY STUDY GUIDE
Margin notes
TASK 1
Module exam GL1 June 2005
DEFINITIONS
Minerals are naturally-occurring chemical compounds or elements having distinct
chemical compositions, atomic structures and physical properties which help with
identification.
This definition is thought to be the best to use at AS. Write it out in your own words,
using diagrams and colours to help you learn it.
TASK 2 TESTS AND OBSERVATIONS
There are 12 main tests and observations, as follows: form, habit, twinning,
cleavage, fracture, hardness, density, streak, lustre, colour, degree of
transparency and reaction with dilute hydrochloric acid.
What is the difference between a test and an observation? Write down your
answer.
Make a list to show which are tests and which are observations.
You need to learn how to carry out each one so be ready to make some notes in
class from the powerpoints.
TASK 3 TESTS AND OBSERVATIONS
Watch the first 15 minutes of MIN 4 and make notes on any features that you think
might help you understand mineral identification
TASK 4 HARDNESS
Hardness is one of the most useful tests so copy out Moh’s hardness scale from
MIN 1 p23 or MIN 2 p 48.
Look at the Moh’s hardness kit we have in the classroom. It allows an accurate
assessment of mineral hardness but is not usually used except by professionals.
We use a simpler version, using common examples, which gives the range of
hardness of any mineral. The hardness of a fingernail is about 2.5, of a penny or
other copper coin 3.5 and of a good steel pin or knife blade 5.5. Learn these
ranges of hardness as they will help you to identify minerals in practicals.
TASK 5 SPECIFIC GRAVITY
Specific gravity is a measure of how dense a mineral is. You can hold a specimen
in your hand and estimate whether it is dense or less dense – this is called hefting
the specimen. To measure the specific gravity accurately it is necessary to carry
out an experiment.
Using the diagram on the front cover of the study guide, explain in your own words
how you could measure and calculate specific gravity. MIN 1 p 24 will help.
Use this box for notes
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
VC/Dept/Geol/013
page 3
GEOLOGY STUDY GUIDE
Margin notes
Module exam GL1 June 2005
TASK 6 PRACTICAL
Read the two inset boxes in MIN 1 p 24 which tell you how minerals should be
described.
Now carry out practicals on the 17 minerals listed below using the practical sheets.
You should draw each specimen and add arrows to point out the main features or
observations. It is not essential to be able to draw well but you must be neat with
your labels. Add a scale to show how large you have drawn the specimen.
You will need to have a lens and microscope on your table to help you. Also
collect a streak plate, steel pin and a bottle of acid from the drawers. Good light
helps you to see cleavage, twinning and lustre of minerals. Minerals must be
drawn in pencil.
When you comment on tests such as streak, hardness or reaction to acid make a
note in the box to say what you have found out.
quartz
halite
olivine
haematite
chalcopyrite
calcite
gypsum
pyrite
galena
fluorite
feldspars (orthoclase and plagioclase)
micas (biotite and muscovite)
hornblende
augite
barite
Feldspars are a large group of minerals but the two most important ones are
orthoclase and plagioclase. Similarly the most important of the mica minerals are
biotite and muscovite.
TASK 7 YOUR FAVOURITE MINERAL
Choose your favourite mineral. Use all the resources you can find to research the
appearance, properties and formation of your mineral. Write an illustrated report
which will probably be 2 pages in length, or make a powerpoint presentation. Use
plain paper for drawings. Keep your work neat because it could be put on display.
TASK 8 IDENTIFICATION KEYS
These are often valuable as a quick means of identifying minerals. Look at MIN 10
and see if you think it would be useful to you.
TASK 9 EXAM QUESTION PACK
Complete the Minerals EQP
Deadline: ……………………………………………….
Use this box for notes
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
VC/Dept/Geol/013
page 4
GEOLOGY STUDY GUIDE
Margin notes
Module exam GL1 June 2005
TASK 10 WHAT IS A ROCK?
Rocks are composed of aggregates of minerals.
The three main rock groups are igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rocks.
How is each group of rocks formed? Read MIN 1 p27 as an introduction to the
topic of rocks.
Make a table for each group and list as many rocks as you can in the correct group.
TASK 11 ROCK TEXTURE
Texture means size, shape and arrangements of the crystals or particles in a
rock.
We will make some notes about the likely texture of igneous, sedimentary and
metamorphic rocks knowing their method of formation.
TASK 12 EXERCISE ON ROCK TEXTURES
Use each of the following words in a sentence to show that you know what type of
rock group they refer to. Here is an example:
Igneous and metamorphic rocks are crystalline.
clastic
grain size
foliation
cement
alignment
banding
TASK 13 PRACTICAL
There are 7 major rock lithologies that you need to learn to identify - sandstone,
limestone, shale, granite, basalt, slate, gneiss. Draw and label fully the hand
specimens you select from the red trays. Look at a number of the different types in
each tray and then choose the specimen you will find easiest to remember and learn
from.
Use the practical sheets as you did with minerals. Comment on colour, grain or
crystal size, foliation, alignment and any other features, such as fossils. Say
whether you think the rock is clastic or crystalline and whether it is sedimentary,
igneous or metamorphic.
Remember that the terminology for rock textures is very different from that of
minerals. For instance you cannot assess the hardness of a rock in the same way as
you can use Moh’s scale for minerals. Because rocks are aggregates of minerals
you would need to look at each mineral in turn which is difficult as the minerals are
too small in most rocks.
Date for test on rock textures: …………………………………
Use this box for notes
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
VC/Dept/Geol/013
page 5
GEOLOGY STUDY GUIDE
Margin notes
Module exam GL1 June 2005
TASK 14 BUILDING STONES
Polished cladding stone shows rock textures very well. It is used on the fronts of
shops and banks in most town centres, including Huddersfield. Follow one of the
itineraries in the Huddersfield Building Stones Guide. Using the guide book,
choose five interesting rocks. Name your five rocks and record field notes in your
field note book using your terminology for rock textures. You may need to take a
lens and ruler with you to measure grain size. Here is a list of the features you
could record although not all will apply to every rock:
grain/crystal size
fossils
composition of minerals
alignment
foliation
colour
TASK 15 EXAM QUESTION PACK
Complete the Rock Textures EQP
Deadline: ……………………………………
TASK 16
PERSONAL RECORD SHEET
Complete a personal record sheet to check your understanding and your skills
learning.
Deadline: …………………………………….
TASK 17 SUMMARY NOTES
Make notes to summarise this topic, using the Learning Targets as a guide
Summary notes deadline …………………………………………………
Use this box for notes
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
VC/Dept/Geol/013
page 6