Identify each mineral by comparing the characteristics provided below
Common Minerals
Examine the photograph of each mineral in the textbook (smaller versions are provided here), and note any conspicuous features you see. Identify each mineral by comparing the characteristics provided below with characteristics in the textbook (see Sections 4.3, 4.5, 4.8, and 4.9). If you are interested in viewing the actual mineral specimens, feel free to stop by my office.
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Characteristics of this mineral: six-sided crystal, hardness of 7, conchoidal fracture instead of cleavage, partially transparent, does not effervesce with dilute HCl.
Mineral identification:
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Characteristics of this mineral: hardness of 3, three directions of cleavage (cleaves into rhombs), partially transparent, effervesces with dilute HCl without being pulverized into a fine powder.
Mineral identification:
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Characteristics of this family of minerals: very soft (but not listed on Moh’s Hardness Scale), feels sticky when wet, does not effervesce, can expand when wet. It is not talc or graphite.
Mineral identification:
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Characteristics of this mineral: hardness of 2 (can be scratched with a fingernail), cream-colored to partially transparent, does not effervesce.
Mineral identification:
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Characteristics of this mineral: sheet-silicate mineral with one dominant direction of cleavage (breaks into flakes and sheets), thin sheets are silvery gray and partially transparent, does not effervesce.
Mineral identification:
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Characteristics and identification of these minerals: contain copper and include malachite (green copper-carbonate mineral), azurite (blue copper-carbonate mineral), and native copper (a metallic, copper-colored mineral).
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Characteristics of this mineral: can be black, brown, silvery gray, or earthy red, but consistently has a red streak, can have a metallic or earthy luster, is nonmagnetic, and does not effervesce.
Mineral identification:
Table 2. Description of Each Part of House
Below is a description of the function of each part of a house. Use the characteristics of each mineral, and the uses of minerals in Section 4.14, to decide which minerals or materials can be used to build each part. Write the name of the mineral or material in the space provided.
