Mineral Identification Lab
Objective: The objective of this activity is to get the students familiar to minerals and
their properties. I suggest the Rock and Mineral PowerPoint Presentation be used before
this activity. This will help the students get familiar with the subject.
Materials:
The following materials can be purchased from Ward’s Geology Catalog. The website is
www.wardsci.com
Unglazed porcelain streak plate
Vinegar or HCl
Magnet
Nail
Glass plate
Penny
Halite
Muscovite
Calcite
Biotite
Feldspar
Quartz
Hematite
Pyrite
Galena
Magnetite
Procedure:
1. Pass one sample at a time to the students.
2. What is the mineral’s luster? Does it look like metal? Then it has a metallic luster.
3. What is the mineral’s hardness? If the mineral will scratch a glass plate or if it is
difficult to scratch it with a nail, then it is hard. If a nail, penny, finger nail will
scratch it easily, then it is soft.
4. Does the mineral have cleavage? Does the mineral have flat sides that reflect
light? If so, the mineral has cleavage.
5. What color is the streak? Rub the mineral on the streak plate. What color is the
streak?
6. Does the mineral have a special property? Does it fizz with HCl acid? is it really
heavy for its size? Will it break into thin sheets? Is it magnetic? Does it taste
salty?
7. Have the students follow the flow chart. As they are going through the flow chart
have the students record their observations on the worksheet. When the students
reach the bottom of the flow chart, they will have identified the mineral.
8. Repeat this until all the minerals have been identified.
Mineral Identification Chart
Start
Luster:
Non-Metallic
Hardness:
Soft
Cleavage:
Cleavage
Streak:
Light
Special Properties: Salty
Taste
Mineral Name:
Halite
Hard
Dark
Thin
Fizzes
Sheets with
Acid
Muscovite Calcite
Metallic
Cleavage
No Cleavage
Light
None
Red/Brown
Thin Sheets
Biotite
Black
Silver Black
very heavy
Feldspar
Quartz
Hematite
Pyrite Galena
Magnetite
Name:_____________________
Mineral Identification Lab Worksheet
Sample
#
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Luster
(Metallic or
Nonmetallic)
Hardness
(Soft or
Hard)
Cleavage
Streak
Special
Properties
Mineral
Name