3.13| Mineral Identification Exercise

Apply what you've learned from the assigned readings and lecture videos to help you accurately answer the questions in this exercise. If you have questions, please email or attend the study hall. You have three attempts and unlimited time.  

In this activity, you will apply what you've learned about the physical properties of minerals to identify the name of some common minerals based on a picture of the mineral and some clues.  Use the mineral identification flowcharts and tables in Appendices 3.1 and 3.2 from your lab book to help you complete this exercise.  IMPORTANT: read the title and heading of the flowcharts and tables FIRST, so you know where to look for your answers. If you don't understand how to read the tables, you will have difficulty completing the exercises in this module or the module quiz. Below is an example to help you get started. 

Example 1.  Identify the mineral pictured below.  Clues:
(a) it is light-colored and nonmetallic (hopefully, that's obvious from the picture)
(b) the mineral cannot be scratched with a fingernail but can be scratched with a penny (referring back to Mohs scale for hardness, this would give the mineral hardness of 3)
(c) it appears to show 3 planes of cleavage not at 90^o
(d) it will react with HCl acid

Considering the clues and its physical appearance, we should conclude that this mineral is calcite.  

Learning Outcomes

• Use diagnostic physical properties of minerals, i.e., hardness, cleavage, streak, heft, etc., to identify common rock-forming minerals 
• Use chemical formulas to classify minerals into mineral groups
• Identify the minerals common in rocks