PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF MINERALS

- The physical properties of minerals are a direct result of their chemical and structural characteristics.
They are used by mineralogist to help determine the identity of a specimen. Some of the test can be
performs easily in the field, while other require laboratory equipment. The physical properties of
minerals are a direct result of their chemical and structural characteristics.
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
-it is a chemical element that can be found in a mineral.
COLOR
-Is a result of the interaction of electromagnetic radiation (visible light) with the surface of a mineral.
Most minerals have a distinctive color that can be used for identification.
STREAK
-it is the color of a mineral in powdered form. It shows the true color of the mineral. The streaks of
metallic minerals tend to appear dark because the small particles of the streak absorb the light hitting
them. Non-metallic particles tend to reflect most of the light so they appear lighter in color or almost
white.
LUSTER
-is the property of minerals that indicates how much the surface of a mineral reflects light. The luster of
a mineral is affected by the brilliance of the light used to observe the mineral surface.
 Metallic- the mineral is opaque and reflects light as a metal would.
 Submetallic- the mineral is opaque and dull. The mineral is dark colored.
 Nonmetallic- the mineral does not reflect light like a metal.
a) Waxy- the mineral looks like paraffin or wax.
b) Vitreous- the mineral looks like broken glass.
c) Pearly- the mineral looks like iridescent, like a pearl.
d) Silky- the mineral looks like fibrous, like silk.
e) Greasy- the mineral looks like oil on water.
f) Resinous- the mineral looks like hardened tree sap (resin).
g) Adamantine- the mineral looks brilliant, like a diamond.
SPECIFIC GRAVITY
-It is a comparison or ratio of the weight of the mineral to the weight of an equal amount of water. The
weight of the equal amount of water is found by finding the difference between the weight of mineral in
air and the weight of the mineral in water.
MOHS HARDNESS
-A scale of Mohs hardness was made about 200 years ago by Freidrich Mohs. It is meauredon scale from
1 to 10. On this scale, softer minerals have low numbers and harder minerals have higher numbers.
Hardness is the resistance of a mineral surface to scratching.
TRANSPARENCY OR DIAPHANEITY
-is a minerals degree of transparency or ability to allow light to pass through it. The degree of
transparency may also depend on the thickness of the mineral.
a) Transparent to translucent
b) Opaque
c) Translucent
CLEAVAGE
-minerals tend to break along lines or smooth surfaces when hit sharply. Different minerals break in
different ways showing different types of cleavage. Cleavage is defined using two criteria.
The first criteria describe how easily the cleavage is obtained:
a) Perfect- if it is easily obtained and the cleavage planes are easily distinguished.
b) Good- if the cleavage is produced with some difficulty but has obvious cleavage planes.
 c) Imperfect- if cleavage is obtained with difficulty and some of the planes are difficult to
distinguish.
The second criterion is the direction of the cleavage surfaces. The names correspond to the shape
formed by the cleavage surfaces.
a) Cubic- cleaves to 3 directions at 90 degree to one another.
b) Rhombohedral- cleaves in 3 direction but not 90 degree to one another.
c) Octahedral- cleaves in 4 direction
d) Dodecahedral- cleaves in 6 direction
e) Basal- cleaves in 1 direction
f) Prismatic- cleaves in 2 direction
Fracture describes the quality of cleavage surface.
 Conchoidal- curved, shell like lines fracture.
CRYSTAL SYSTEM
-mineral crystals occur in various shapes and sizes. The particular shape is determined by the
arrangement of the atoms, molecules or ions that make up the crystal and how they are joined.
 Cube
 Dodecahedron
 Hexagonal pyramid
 Octahedron
 Prismatic crystal
 Tetrahedron
 Tabular crystal
 Rhombohedron
 Pyramid
 Scalenohedron
 Isometric
 Orthorhombic