Mineral Stations Lab

1.

Streak and Luster

i. Introduction:
1. Some minerals have a distinct color. Streak is classified as the color of the powder of the
mineral. It is found by rubbing the mineral on a porcelain plate. Since the porcelain plate
has a hardness of around 6, those minerals with a hardness greater than 6 will not produce a
streak powder on the plate, but will rather scratch the plate. Luster is the way that a mineral
reflects light. There are two types of luster. Metallic mineral look like shiny or rusted metal.
Nonmetallic elements reflect light like glass or pearls or glue.
ii. Procedure:
1. Record the color of each mineral on your activity sheet according to its number. Record the
luster of the mineral. Rub the mineral gently on the streak plate and record the color of the
powder streak on your table. Identify the mineral that you have using the dichotomous key
provided.
iii. Students will key out various minerals using a dichotomous key:

Identifying Minerals Using Color, Luster, and Streak

1a. If its color is brassy yellow and is metallic, go to 2.
1b. If its color is not brassy yellow, go to 3.
2a. If it has a gold streak, then it is GOLD.
2b. If it has a black streak, then it is PYRITE.
3a. If the mineral is metallic or nonmetallic and brown in color, go to 4.
3b. If the mineral is metallic or nonmetallic and not brown in color, go to 5.
4a. If it yellow-brown, orange, brown, brown black and has a yellow to orange brown streak, it is
LIMONITE.
4b. If it is red brown, brown, or brown black and has a brown streak, it is HEMATITE.
5a. If the mineral is dark-green to green-black in color and has a white streak, it is CHLORITE.
5b. If the mineral is silver-grey in color and has a dark grey streak, it is GALENA.
2.

Specific gravity
i. Introduction:
1. Specific Gravity is the density of a mineral relative to water. Metallic minerals often have
high specific gravities.
ii. Procedure:
1. In order to find the specific gravity, you must hang the sample from a spring scale. Hold the
scale so that the sample hangs freely on the string from the hook on the scale. Measure and
record the mass in grams (M1). Lower the mineral into the beaker so that it is covered
completely by water. Record the mass (M2).
2. Calculate the specific gravity using the equation: M1/(M1-M2). Record the specific gravity.
3. Use the dichotomous key to figure out the mineral sample that you have based upon the
given specific gravities.
iii. Students will key out which mineral that they have discovered the specific gravity of through a
dichotomous key:

Identifying Properties of Minerals Based on Specific Gravity*

1a. If the mineral is clear, grey, white, or milky, in color go to 2.
1b. If its color is not clear, white, or milky in color, go to 3.
2a. If the mineral has a specific gravity of around 2.65, it is QUARTZ.
2b. If the mineral has a specific gravity of around 2.1, it is HALITE.
3a. If the mineral is green and has a specific gravity of around 8.9 (or between 4 and 6) it is
COPPER.
3b. If the mineral is green and has a specific gravity of around 2.6-2.8, it is FELDSPAR.
*If your numbers are nowhere near the numbers listed here, you must redo the specific gravity numbers.

3.

Hardness
i. Materials to test for hardness:
1. Fingernails (2.5)
2. Penny (3.5)
3. Iron nail (4.5)
4. Glass plate (5.5)
ii. Introduction:
1. Hardness is the minerals resistance to scratching. It is controlled by the strength of atomic
bonds within the mineral. Mineral hardness is rated from 1 (very soft) to 10 (extremely hard)
on the Mohs Hardness Scale.
iii. Procedure:
1. One of the materials you will use is your fingernail, which has a hardness of about 2.5. If
you scratch a rock easily with your fingernail, you know that the rocks hardness is less than
2.5.
2. Use a penny, with hardness of 3.5, to also help you to identify the minerals hardness.
3. You will also try an iron nail, which has a hardness of about 4.5.
4. Finally, you will check to see if your mineral scratches glass. Glass has a hardness of 5.5, so
if your mineral sample scratches glass, it has a hardness greater than 5.5.
5. On your activity sheet, write down the color of each mineral, and indicate what materials
each mineral scratches and doesnt scratch.
6. Estimate the approximate hardness of each mineral, and identify your mineral using the
provided dichotomous key.
iv. Dichotomous key:
Mineral Hardness
1a. If your mineral sample is softer than 3.5, go to 2.
1b. If your mineral sample is harder than 3.5, go to 3.
2a. If your mineral sample is softer than 2.5, it is TALC.
2b. If your mineral sample is harder than 2.5 but softer than 3.5, it is CALCITE.
3a. If your mineral sample is harder than 3.5 but softer than 4.5, it is FLUORITE.
3b. If your mineral sample is harder than 5.5, it is QUARTZ.

4.

Crystalline structures
i. Introduction:
1. Crystalline Structure is the natural growth, or shape, of a mineral. Minerals take this shape
whenever they are able to grow into open space. The crystal form of a mineral often has
many smooth, planar surfaces called faces that meet at characteristic angles (i.e. cubic
pyrite meets at right angles). Crystalline structure determines the shape of a mineral: its
sides, top, and bottom are all determined through the structure. The crystalline structure
comes from the internal bonds of the elements of the mineral.
ii. Procedure:
1. Use the information sheet, Visualizing Crystal Systems, to help you to identify the
crystalline structure of the minerals at this station.

5.

Interesting features: Magnetism and the Acid Test

i. Introduction:
1. Some minerals, especially ones with high iron content, are attracted to a magnet and exhibit
magnetism. Some minerals, such as the carbonates, fizz in the presence of hydrochloric
acid. Some other minerals are fluorescent when placed under a black light. Still other
minerals are radioactive.
2. Do not place drops of acid onto Samples 15 and 16: these will produce strong odors if they
react to HCl.
ii. Procedure:
1. Place 1-2 drops of acid on the mineral samples 13 and 17. Indicate whether the acid reacts
with the mineral. Do not place drops of acid onto Samples 15 and 16: these will produce
strong odors if they react to HCl. Do not touch samples 13 and 17, and leave them in the tin
in which you have found them.
2. Move the compass and magnet near and around each sample, and record whether the
compass reacts to being near the sample. This will indicate if the sample is magnetic.
3. Identify the mineral based upon the properties that you have recorded and the dichotomous
key at this station.
iii. Dichotomous key:

Acid Test and Magnetism

1a. If the mineral is white or clear go to 2
1b. If the mineral is not white, go to 3
2a. The mineral is white or clear and fizzes when exposed to HCl, it is CALCITE.
2b. The mineral is white or clear and it is insoluble to HCl (it does not fizz), it is GYPSUM.
3a. If the mineral is yellow, it is SULFUR.
3b. If the mineral is not yellow, go to 4.
4a. The mineral is black or grey and is insoluble to HCl (does not fizz), go to 5.
4b. The mineral is black and smells when exposed to HCl, it is GALENA.
5a. If the mineral is black or grey, and is not magnetic, it is GRAPHITE.
5b. If the mineral is black or grey, and is magnetic, it is MAGNETITE.

6.

Interesting features: Texture and Odor

i. Introduction:
1. Some other interesting features of mineral include how they feel. Some minerals have a very
soapy feel. Another interesting feature of some features is that they have a distinct taste.
Some minerals have a distinct odor. Other minerals are much more massive than others and
are very heavy.
ii. Procedure:
1. At this station, you will use your senses to look at some additional mineral properties. Touch
and smell the minerals labeled to do so. Do not taste any of the minerals: taste will be
indicated for you.
2. Indicate on your sheets properties such as smell and texture (feel) for each sample. You can
use the Mineral ID Guide for texture types.

7.

Cleavage and Fracture

i. Introduction:
1. Cleavage and/or Fracture addresses the way a mineral breaks. Fracture is irregular
breakage. An example is jasper, which has conchoidal fracture. Jasper breaks along
hollowed and rounded, uneven surfaces. Cleavage is a regular breakage that follows the
atomic structure of a mineral. Cleavage results in smooth, planar surfaces. Different
minerals may have one, two, three, four, or six cleavages. An example is halite, which
cleaves in three directions into a cube.
2. In this lab, if a mineral has cleavage, you do not need to worry about fracture. Likewise, if a
mineral has fracture, do not worry about finding a minerals cleavage. While many minerals
have both cleavage and fracture, you can find just one per mineral.
ii. Procedure:
1. At this station, you will be observing whether the mineral exhibits cleavage or fracture.
Cleavage is the splitting of a mineral into pieces with smooth, flat surfaces. Fracture is the
splitting of a mineral with uneven surfaces. Please indicate whether your sample exhibits
cleavage or fracture. Write down what type, if any, of cleavage it shows (cubic, one surface,
etc.). Then, key out your mineral using the dichotomous key.
iii. Dichotomous key:

Cleavage and Fracture

1a. If the mineral has cleavage, go to 2
1b. If the mineral has fracture, go to 3
2a. If your mineral is cubic, then it is CALCITE.
2b. If your mineral splits perfectly into thin sheets, then it is BIOTITE MICA.
3a. If your mineral has conchoidal fracture, then it is QUARTZ.
3b. If your mineral has a hackly, or jagged and sharp, fracture, it is COPPER.

8.

Mohs Hardness Scale and Pneumonic Device

i.
Order of minerals on the Mohs Hardness Scale:
1. Talc
2. Gypsum
3. Calcite
4. Fluorite
5. Apatite
6. Orthoclase Feldspar
7. Quartz
8. Topaz
9. Corundum
10. Diamond
ii.
Procedure:
1. Write out Mohs Hardness Scale and create a pneumonic device to help you remember the
order of the minerals, from softest to hardest!