Page 117 - Laboratory Manual in Physical Geology

ACTIVIT Y 3.2 Mineral Properties

Name: ______________________________________ Course/Section: ______________________ Date: ___________
A. Indicate whether the luster of each of the following materials looks metallic (M) or nonmetallic (NM):

1. a mirror: __________ 2. butter: __________ 3. ice: __________ 4. a rusty nail: __________

B. What is the streak color (i.e., color in powdered form) of each of the following substances?
1. salt: ________________ 2. wheat: _________________ 3. pencil lead: ____________________

C. What is the crystal form ( FIGURE 3.4 ) of the:

1. quartz in FIGURE 3.1B ? __________________ 2. native copper in FIGURE 3.6 ? __________________

D. Look up quartz in the Mineral Database ( FIGURE 3.21 , page 93 ) to find a list of the varieties (var.) of quartz. Then identify

each quartz variety below, and write its name beneath the image.

var. _________________ var. _________________ var. _________________ var. _________________

E. A mineral can be scratched by a masonry nail or knife blade but not by a wire (iron) nail ( FIGURE 3.9 ).

1. Is this mineral hard or soft? _______________

2. What is the hardness number of this mineral on Mohs Scale? __________

3. What mineral on Mohs Scale has such a hardness? ____________________

F. A mineral can scratch calcite, and it can be scratched by a wire (iron) nail.

1. What is the hardness number of this mineral on Mohs Scale? __________
2. Which mineral on Mohs Scale has this hardness? ____________________

G. The brassy, opaque, metallic mineral in FIGURE 3.7A is the same as the mineral in FIGURE 3.8 . What is this mineral’s hardness,

and how can you tell?
H. Analyze the mineral samples and figure caption in FIGURE 3.16 .

1. What is this mineral’s hardness
(give a number or range of numbers)? _____________________________
2. Very carefully cut out the cleavage goniometer from GeoTools Sheet 1 at the back of this manual . Be sure to cut the

angles as exactly as possible. Sketch the characteristic shape that this mineral breaks into. Using the cleavage goniometer,

measure the angles between flat flat cleavage surfaces of this mineral in FIGURE 3.16 , and record the angles here:

What is the name of this kind of cleavage?

I. A mineral sample weighs 27 grams and takes up 10.4 cubic centimeters

of space. What is the SG (specific gravity) of this mineral? Show your work.

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