Minerals Stations Elementary: Possible Answer Key for Minerals Used
(Science Liaison/ICAD meetings – Week of Nov. 17, 2014.)
Use the minerals that come with the Scott Foresman Grade 4 Minerals Kit, which also includes
streak plates. Also use any other minerals you may have available.
You can use the Minerals - Teacher’s Edition from the article The Building Blocks for Rocks Aug.
2011, Volume 1, Issue 1 that is downloaded on science.dadeschools.net Elementary page,
Instructional Resources, Grade 5, Quarter 2 for additional ideas and content knowledge.
Station # 1 (answers will vary by minerals used)
Name of Mineral
Quartz
Halite
Calcite
Pyrite
Talc
Feldspar
Sulfur
Fluorite
Magnetite
Streak
colorless
white
white
Greenish black
White to pale green
White
Light yellow
White
Black
Station 2 Luster (answers will vary by minerals used)
Mineral
Luster
Pyrite
magnetite
Calcite
Quartz
Talc
Feldspar
Mica
Metallic
Metallic
Glassy
Glassy
pearly
Glassy
Glassy to pearly
*Possible mineral Number
(Numbers will vary by
identification process used.)
7
9
5
1
10
2
3, 4
Station 3 Breakage: Cleavage or Fracture (answers will vary by minerals used)
Cleavage
Fracture
Mica, calcite, feldspar, halite, gypsum
Quartz, magnetite, hornblende
Station # 4 Color
Minerals with
Several Colors
Quartz
Feldspar
Fluorite
Calcite
Talc
mica
Two minerals with the same color
Minerals
Gypsum and calcite
Magnetite and some mica
Pink Calcite and Rose quartz
Color
white
Black
pink
Station 5 Hardness (answers will vary by minerals used)
Softest – talc ( mica or gypsum can be substituted)
Calcite (Fluorite can be substituted)
Hardest – quartz (magnetite or pyrite can be substituted)
Station 6
1.
2.
3.
4.
Pyrite
Calcite
Mica
Fluorite *This can be revised to quartz if the hardness in the clue statement is changed to a 7 and
color is changed to pink and streak color is white. Who am I? I have different colors such as pink. I
have a nonmetallic luster. My streak is white. My breakage is fracture and my hardness is a four.
It is suggested that students complete Essential Lab 8 Minerals after completing these mineral station
activities.