LAB no. 5
Name (s): _____________________
SCIENCE et
TECHNOLOGIE
______________________________
______________________________
Grade 8
Laboratory no. five: Minerals
Please note that this laboratory sheet will be used to complete the lab report.
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Nature is full of many types of minerals, each mineral possess different characteristic
Problem
properties that permit in distinguishing it from other minerals. Name some properties that
can help you identify some minerals.
During this lab, you will be given the opportunity to conduct particular tests in order to identify
Objective
a set of five minerals.
Material



Goggles (Not necessary)
Apron(Not necessary)
5 unknown minerals

Screw




Penny
Ceramic plate
Glass plate
Compass (Used to detect magnetism)
Using the following list of tests and characteristics, conduct a procedure that will enable you to
Procedure
identify fives unknown minerals.
1. Lustre: the mineral can have a metallic or non-metallic lustre. The non-metallic lustre can
have a shell-like surface, a glossy surface like glass or greasy looking as though there is a
layer of oil on top. It can also look dusty or sandy.
2. Scratch: When the mineral is rubbed against a ceramic non-glazed plate, it can trace a line
similar to a pencil. This line may have a characteristic colour.
3. Hardness: a German mineralogist by the name of Friedrich Mohs established a system of
mineral hardness ranking from 1(Soft) to 10 (Hard). 1 can be scratched by a finger nail. Some
minerals can be scratched by another material. We can check the hardness of a mineral by
scratching it with your finger nail, use a penny to scratch it or use a steel screw to scratch it.
Use the minerals to try to scratch a glass slab. Begin the test by using the softest (Finger nail)
to hardest material (Steel screw).
Scale:
2.5 and less: Your nail leaves a mark as you scratch it.
3.5: A penny scratches.
5.5: The mineral scratches a glass slab.
6.5: A steel screw scratches it.
4. On the Mohs scale, a pencil "lead" (graphite) has a hardness of 1; a fingernail, 2.5; a copper
penny, about 3.5; a knife blade, 5.5; window glass, 5.5; and a steel file, 6.5. Using these
ordinary materials of known hardness can be a simple way to approximate the position of a
mineral on the scale.
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5. Magnetism: By approaching a compass near a mineral, we can know if it is magnetic. This is
seen when the needle of the compass points towards the mineral.
THE FOLLOWING ARE SOME EXAMPLES OF MINERALS AND THEIR |MOHS SCALE
HARDNESS
Mohs hardness
Mineral
1
Talc
2
Gypsum
3
Calcite
4
Fluorite
5
Apatite
6
Feldspar
7
Quartz
8
Topaz
9
Corundum
10
Diamond
MINERAL BANK: YOUR FIVE MINERALS ARE PART OF THIS BANK
Mineral Name
Lustre
Solid state
colour
Scratch
colour
Hardness
Magnetism
Talc (Soapstone)
Pearly luster,
feels soapy
White to
greenish grey
White
1.0.
Scrathed
by
a
fingernail, scrathed by a
penny, Does not scratch
glass, scratched by a screw.
No
Gypsum
Small crystl
Cloudy white
White
2.0. Tougher scrath by a
No
2
Kaolin
Galena
Muscovite Mica
luster
to pink
Dull luster
White, but
often stained
Shiny, metalic
Glossy. Flat
breakage
fingernail, scrathed by a
penny, Does not scratch
glass, scratched by a screw.
2.0. Tougher scrath by a
fingernail, scrathed by a
penny, Does not scratch
glass, scratched by a screw.
No
Silver to dark
grey
2.5. Fingernail does not
scratch, does not scratch
Dark grey
glass, scratched by penny,
scratched by screw
No
Colorless to
silvery
None
2.5. Fingernail does not
scratch, does not scratch
glass, scratched by penny,
scratched by screw
No
Faint
2.5. Fingernail does not
scratch, does not scratch
glass, scratched by penny,
scratched by screw
No
No
Colourless to
white
White
Halite
Crystal
Muscovite Biotite
Glass luster,
elastic. Flat
breakage
Black to brown
None
2.5-3.0. Tougher scrath by a
fingernail, scrathed by a
penny, sligth scratch on
glass, scratched by a screw.
Glossy
Colourless to
white, grey,
etc.
faint
white
3.0. Fingernail does not
scratch, does not scratch
glass, scratched by a
penny, scratched by screw
No
Crystal
Purple to
green to
colourless
None
4.0. Fingernail does not
scratch, does not scratch
glass, not scratched by a
penny, scratched by screw
No
Dull
Green to grey
to white
Faint
greenish
white
5.0. Fingernail does not
scratch, faint scratch on
glass, scratched by a
penny, scratched by screw
No
Whitish
6.0. Fingernail does not
scratch, scratches glass,
not scratched by a penny,
faintly scratched by screw
No
Dark
6.0. Fingernail does not
scratch, scratches glass,
not scratched by a penny,
faintly scratched by screw
Faint
Black
6.0. Fingernail does not
scratch, scratches glass,
not scratched by a penny,
faintly scratched by screw
Strong
No
No
Calcite
Fluorite
Apatite
Feldspar
Hornblende
Magnetite
Pyrite (Fool’s gold)
Hematite
Glossy
Pink to white
Dull
Black, shiny,
tiny sparkles
Metalic
Black
Metallic
Yellow-Gold
Black
6.0. Fingernail does not
scratch, scratches glass,
not scratched by a penny,
faintly scratched by screw
Dull
Dark grey to
rusty
Red or
browinsh
red
6.5. Fingernail does not
scratch, scratches glass,
not scratched by a penny,
faintly scratched by screw
3
Quartz
Glossy
Limonite
Dull
From semitransparent to
transparent
Brown
White
7.0. Fingernail does not
scratch, scratches glass,
not scratched by a penny,
faintly scratched by screw
No
Brown
6.0. Fingernail does not
scratch, scratches glass,
not scratched by a penny,
faintly scratched by screw
No
TABLE: KIT NO. _________________
Mineral
Number
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Lustre (0.5)
Solid state
colour (0.5)
Scratch colour
(0.5)
Hardness (1)
Magnetism
(0.5)
Lustre (0.5)
Solid state
colour (0.5)
Scratch colour
(0.5)
Hardness (1)
Magnetism
(0.5)
1
2
3
Mineral
Number
4
4
5
Mineral Identification: Name the mineral ______/5
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No._______: _________________________________________________________
No._______: _________________________________________________________
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