CALCITE

(CaCO)
Calcite is a sedimentary
mineral and one of the
most widely distributed
minerals in the world. It
also occurs as stalactites
and
stalagmites
in
caves, in geodes and
concretions, and as a
petrifying
material,
replacing fossil animal
and plant remains
HARDNESS : 3 (soft)
COLOR: Varies
LUSTRE: glassy
STREAK: White
FLOURESCES: Yes
EFFERVESCES: Yes

JASPER
(primarily SiO with other
impurities of iron oxide)
Being a variety of quarts,
jasper is sedimentary
and found in many
different colors. It is
harder than a knife and
can scratch glass, it is
used as a decorative
stone
and
as
a
gemstone.
Some
indigenous peoples used
a jasper-like stone called
flint to make arrowheads
HARDNESS : 6.5 7
(very hard)
COLOR: Rusty red, but
can also be yellow,
green, or blue
LUSTRE: earthy
STREAK: white
FLOURESCES:
sometimes
EFFERVESCES: no

SODALITE
(Na(AlSiO)Cl)
A beautiful light to dark
blue color, sodalite is
well
known
as
a
semiprecious stone. It is
often mottled with white
veins or patches. It is
sometimes
found
in
other colors such as
grey, green, yellow or
pink. The more popular
deep blue is used in
jewelry and carvings and
is
beautiful
when
polished
HARDNESS : 5.5 6
(hard)
COLOR: light to dark
blue
LUSTRE: Dull vitreous to
greasy
STREAK: White
FLOURESCES: yes
EFFERVESCES: yes

OBSIDIAN
(SiO, plus MgO, FeO)
Obsidian is a natural
class formed when hot
lava from a volcano or a
tectonic fissure cools
very rapidly. It is a type
of igneous rock. It is
brittle and mostly black
or black with red streaks
(called
mahogany
obsidian), or black with
white
flakes
(called
snowflake
obsidian).
Indigenous peoples used
obsidian to make arrow
and spear heads.
HARDNESS : 5 (semihard)
COLOR: Predominantly
black, can have red
streaks or white flakes
LUSTRE: Glassy
STREAK: none
FLOURESCES: no

EFFERVESCES: no

MARBLE
(primarily CaCO, with
other impurities)
Marble is a metamorphic
rock
derived
from
limestone. It was formed
by heat far below the
earths
surface.
This
change makes it hard
enough to polish and use
for sculpting. It is of
great
importance
to
building, from ancient
architecture to modern
use.
The
largest
American marble quarry
is in Vermont
HARDNESS : 4 (semi
hard)
COLOR: Opaque to semi
translucent white
LUSTRE: pearly
STREAK: white

FLOURESCES: no
EFFERVESCES: yes

AGATE
(SiO)
Agate,
a
hard
and
colorful mineral, is a fine
grained
variety
of
quartz. It forms in layers
of silica in the cavities of
rocks. The names of
some of the agates
actually describe their
appearance,
such
as
banded
agate,
moss
agate, and leopard agate
HARDNESS : 7 (hard)
COLOR:
Translucent
purple-grey, although it
can also appear in other
colors
LUSTRE: Silky
STREAK: White
FLOURESCES: no

EFFERVESCES: no

EFFERVESCES: no

LEPIDOLITE
[K(Li,Al)(Al,Si,Rb)O(F,
OH)}
Lepidolite occurs more
commonly in various
shades of pink and
purple. It is found in the
area of San Diego, CA.
Lapidary lepidolite is
used for cutting and
polishing shapes such as
eggs and spheres. It is
also an ore of lithium (Li)
HARDNESS : 2.5 3
(Soft)
COLOR: Pink to purple
LUSTRE:
Vitreous to
pearly
STREAK: White
FLOURESCES: no

PYRITE
(FeS)
Pyrite, a compound of
iron and sulfer, is used in
making sulfuric acid and
in refrigerator fluid. In
the gold rush era, many
people thought they had
discovered gold, but to
their
disappointment
found it was only pyrite.
HARDNESS : 6 6.5
(hard)
COLOR: Gold to silver
LUSTRE: Metallic
STREAK: Green black to
brownish black

FLOURESCES: no
EFFERVESCES: no

COLOR:
Transparent
green, but can also vary
depending on impurities
LUSTRE:
Vitreous to
pearly
STREAK: White
FLOURESCES: Maybe
EFFERVESCES: No

are collected and used

as decorative specimens.
HARDNESS : 2 (soft)
COLOR: Clear to white
LUSTRE: Vitreous
STREAK: White
FLOURESCES: Yes
EFFERVESCES: no

COLOR: Pale orange to

white
LUSTRE: Pearly to silky
STREAK: White
FLOURESCES: No
EFFERVESCES: Maybe,
usually no

FLOURITE
(CaF)
A soft mineral with a
glossy luster, fluorite is
most
commonly
colorless. It is found in
cavities of sedimentary
rocks. It is also found in
shads such as blue,
violet, yellow and green.
Great
quantities
are
used
to
absorb
impurities and lower the
melting point in making
steel and aluminum
HARDNESS : 3-4 (soft)

SELENITE
(CaSO2HO)
Selenite is a type of
gypsum. It is distributed
in sedimentary rocks and
is found scattered in
large crystals through
clays and shales. It
appears
clear
and
transparent,
often
in
swallowtail in spearhead
twins,
and
also
as
cleavage
fragments.
Many large sized crystals

ALABASTER
(CaSO2HO)
Alabaster consists of
gypsum.
Its
softness
makes it an excellent
material
for
carving.
Craftsmen form many
types
of
mantel
ornaments
and
sculptures
from
alabaster.
HARDNESS : 2 (soft)

RUBY
(AlO with Cr)
Red form of the mineral
corundum. Shares the
same
chemical
composition and mineral
structure with sapphires,
despite the difference in
color. Red is caused by

the presence of
element chromium.

the

HARDNESS : 9 (Very
hard)
COLOR: Shiny red to dull
maroon and brown
LUSTRE: Adamantine to
earthy
STREAK: White
FLOURESCES: no
EFFERVESCES: no

are
formed
from
a
combination
of
the
introduction of mica and
the
metamorphic
formation of a preferred
foliation, meaning that it
was flattened from one
direction
HARDNESS : ~ 6 (hard)
COLOR:
dark
grey
(schist) / pink (feldspar)
LUSTRE: Foliated pearly
STREAK:
Dark
grey
(schist) / white (feldspar)
FLOURESCES: no
EFFERVESCES: no

A source of copper, both

minerals
present
are
mined extensively in the
copper-producing
industry. Often called
peacock ore for its
iridescent
coloring,
bornite
is
mildly
magnetic after heating
the mineral. Chalcopyrite
shares this trait.

HARDNESS : 1 (very
soft)
COLOR:
white
to
brownish
LUSTRE: Greasy
STREAK: white
FLOURESCES: no
EFFERVESCES: no

HARDNESS : 3 - 4
COLOR: Iridescent bluegreen
LUSTRE: Metallic
STREAK:
Greyish/Greenish black
FLOURESCES:
EFFERVESCES:

SCHIST WITH
FELDPAR
A
medium
grade
metamorphic rock, schist
is formed from mudstone
and shale. The sparkles

BORNITE WITH
CHALCOPYRITE AKA
PEACOCK ORE
(CuFeS with CuFeS)

TALC
(MgSiO(OH))

GYPSUM

(CaSO2HO)
The
most
common
sulfate mineral, gypsum
is easily identifiable by
the
perfect
cleavage
made when breaking the
crystal. Most forms are
colorless,
transparent
crystals with a sharply
angled form. Gypsum in
all varieties forms in
sedimentary
rock
evaporates. Gypsum will
dissolve over time in
water
HARDNESS : 2 (soft)
COLOR:
Colorless to
white
LUSTRE:
Vitreous to
silky
STREAK: White
FLOURESCES: no
EFFERVESCES: no

APATITE
[Ca(PO)(OH,F,Cl)]
Apatite is actually the
same stuff as in bones
and teeth, as tooth
enamel
and
bone
mineral. A significant
source of phosphate,
Apatite is mined for use
in fertilizers and the
making
of
fluorine.
Especially vivid blue and
green varieties are used
to make pigments, and
especially
transparent
varieties are infrequently
used as gemstones.
HARDNESS : 5 (hard)
COLOR: Gray blue greenish
LUSTRE: Resinous
STREAK: white
FLOURESCES: yes
EFFERVESCES: no

ORTHOCLASE
FELDSPAR
(KAlSiO)
Orthoclase Feldspar, also
known as K-spar, is a
mineral
that
forms
igneous rock. The name
is
from
the Ancient
Greek for
"straight
fracture," because its
two cleavage planes are
at right angles to each
other. Orthoclase is a
major component of pink
granite, giving it its
distinctive
color.
Sometimes
orthoclase
can
intergrow
with
another mineral, albite,
to form the jewelry stone
moonstone
HARDNESS : 6 (hard)
STREAK: white
COLOR: Pinkish - tan
LUSTRE: Waxy
FLOURESCES: no
EFFERVESCES: no

QUARTZ
(SiO)
Massive
forms
are
usually white, but are
often other colors, such
as rose quartz (named
for
its
pink
color).
Striking
two
quartz
crystals together will
cause
them
to
triboluminesce, a form of
non-electrical
or
combustible
light.
Typically a 6-sided prism,
ending in a 6-sided
pyramid
HARDNESS: 7 as a
crystal, lower in massive
form
COLOR: Crystal forms
are colorless, massive
forms are usually white
LUSTRE: Vitreous
STREAK: none
FLOURESCES: no
EFFERVESCES: no

COLOR: transparent to
translucent brownish
LUSTRE: Vitreous
STREAK: White
FLOURESCES: yes
EFFERVESCES: no

TOPAZ
(AlSiO(F,OH))
Topaz
is
a
mostly
prismatic crystal, similar
to quartz. Topaz in its
precious orange form
is
the
traditional
November
birthstone.
Blue topaz (which is
quite rare) is the state
gemstone of Texas.
HARDNESS
hard)

8 (very

HARDNESS
:
7.5-8
(hard)
COLOR:
LUSTRE:
Vitreous to
resinous
STREAK: white
FLOURESCES: no
EFFERVESCES: no

CORUNDRUM
HARDNESS :
COLOR:
LUSTRE:
STREAK:
FLOURESCES:
EFFERVESCES:

HALITE

BERYL
(BeAl(SiO))

HARDNESS :
COLOR:
LUSTRE:
STREAK:
FLOURESCES:
EFFERVESCES: