Mineral Identification

1. cleavage how a mineral appears to reflect light 2. luster the true color of a mineral in powdered form 3. streak how a crystal breaks or splits when stressed

2. how a mineral appears to reflect light 3. the true color of a mineral in powdered form 1. how a crystal breaks or splits when stressed

Color is _____.

caused by the chemicals in a mineral

Pink quartz and smoky quartz are different colors. They will both have the same _____.

color streak

Dwayne has a green mineral. It most likely contains _____.

copper (Cu)

Talc _____.

has a Mohs hardness of 1

cleavage

how a crystal breaks or splits when stressed

luster

how a mineral appears to reflect light

Jess scratches an unknown mineral with topaz, which has a Mohs hardness of 8. Topaz leaves a scratch on the unknown mineral. The unknown mineral _____.

is softer than topaz is softer than diamond

Caleb has an opaque, reflective mineral. It has a ______ luster.

metallic

Brian stresses a mineral. It breaks cleanly and evenly, leaving a smooth surface. The cleavage can be described as _____.

perfect

streak

the true color of a mineral in powdered form

What do you use to correctly identify a mineral?

Use at least 5 different properties to ensure the correct identification

1. way light reflects from a mineral 2. way a mineral breaks under stress 3. reveals true, natural color of a mineral 4. least reliable property for identification 5. measured using the Mohs scale

1. luster 2. cleavage 3. streak 4. color 5. hardness