Minerals
Minerals are the probably the very things that keep us moving along in life, whether it comes to the graphite in your pencil or the steel in your cutlery.
Minerals are all around us but are slowly dwindling in numbers. In this specific section your learning will soar to a whole new level as you learn how to identify minerals of any kind
Minerals are all around us but are slowly dwindling in numbers. In this specific section your learning will soar to a whole new level as you learn how to identify minerals of any kind
Hardness
A way we can identify a mineral is by its hardness. We can identify the hardness of specific minerals by attempting to scratch the surface of the mineral with basic objects like a penny or a nail file. This is an important way to classify minerals because even though some minerals look like a different mineral, doesn't mean they are similar to that specific mineral. for example: talc is one of the softest minerals because of its weak and fragile structure. on the other hand, diamond is known to be one of the hardest minerals know to mankind as it is used in saw blades and jewelry. The scale to determine the hardness of minerals is call the Mohs Hardness Scale
Colour
Another way to discover the identity of a mineral is by its colour. Be cautious though as this is not the best way to identify a mineral. Take fool's gold as an example: it's characteristics in colour match real gold but when it come to hardness and streak, fool's gold differs in many ways.
Lustre
Lustre is the testing of how shiny a mineral is. There are at least 6 types of litre identifications: adamantine, glassy, greasy, waxy, pearly, and silky.
Some minerals like graphite in your pencil have a dull shininess and some have that sparkle to it.
Some minerals like graphite in your pencil have a dull shininess and some have that sparkle to it.
Crystal Structure
Crystal structure is a way of identifying the structure of crystals on or within a mineral. Some minerals don't have a crystal structure at all!
Cleavage & Fracture
Cleavage and fracture are ways of identifying how a mineral breaks when striked. If you strike at a mineral and it breaks with a smooth surface at the central point of breakage then it is identified as cleavage. i f you strike another mineral and it come out crooked/jagged then it has fracture. Mica is a good example of cleavage as quartz would to fracture.
Streak
Not every mineral has a streak, but it's a good thing to try. All you need is a small tile or plate, and a mineral. Then what you do is you take the mineral and you scratch it upon the tile's surface and record the colour left behind by the mineral you had.