Republic of the Philippines
BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY
Gov. Pablo Borbon MainCampus II
Batangas City
COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING, ARCHITECTURE, AND FINE ARTS
PETROLEUM ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
Reservoir Geosciences (PetE 402)
Activity No. 1
Rocks and Minerals Identification
Name: Semilla, Razzel Carl B. Date: 09/17/2021
Section: Pete-2102 Location: Gloria, Oriental Mindoro
Objectives:
1. Make precise observations of visible rock characteristics.
2. Determine the different physical properties of the rock or minerals.
3. Apply basic rock identification techniques to describe common rocks.
4. Able to know the importance of rock identification in Oil and Gas industry.
Materials:
Medicine Dropper sandpaper
Diluted Hydrochloric Acid bond paper
Steel file magnet
Coin magnifier
Knife blade tape measure or ruler
Procedure:
1. Gather rocks from the selected area within your vicinity.
2. Label the gathered rock samples as R1 etc (at least 10 rock samples).
3. Before the identification and testing, wash and dry the samples under the sun.
4. Identify the physical properties (color, texture, etc) of the rock sample.
5. For the Mohs Hardness, pick a sample and try to scratch from the available materials.
Below are the samples of materials with their corresponding hardness level.
Fingernail = 2.5
Penny / coin = 3
Glass / Knife blade = 5.5
Steel file = 6.5
Sandpaper = 9
6. To perform an acid test take a medicine dropper and add two drops of the hydrochloric
acid/ muriatic acid to the rock. If the rock begins to fizz, then record “yes” on your data
sheet. If the rock doesn’t fizz, record “no” on your data sheet.
Experiment Data Sheet
Sample Color Luster Hardness Cleavage/ Streak Shape Size Reaction to Magnetic
(Metallic, Fracture Color ( Round, (mm) Acid Property
Non- Sub- ( Yes, No) ( Magnetic,
metallic) rounded, Non-
Angular, magnetic)
Sub-
angular
R1 Off White Non-metallic 5.5 Fracture No Streak Sub-rounded 55mm YES Non-magnetic
Color
R2 Dirty White Non-metallic 9 Fracture No Streak Sub-rounded 72mm NO Non-magnetic
Color
R3 Orange Non-metallic 5.5 Fracture No Streak Sub-angular 45mm NO Non-magnetic
Color
R4 Blue Gray Non-metallic 6.5 Fracture No Streak Sub-rounded 56mm NO Non-magnetic
Color
R5 Light Orange Non-metallic 6.5 Fracture No Streak Sub-rounded 45mm NO Non-magnetic
Color
R6 Black Non-metallic 6.5 Fracture No Streak Angular 53mm YES Non-magnetic
Color
R7 Blue Green Non-metallic 5.5 Fracture No Streak Sub-rounded 48mm NO Non-magnetic
Color
R8 Gray Non-metallic 5.5 Cleavage Gray Sub-rounded 57mm NO Non-magnetic
R9 White Non-metallic 9 Fracture No Streak Angular 39mm NO Non-magnetic
Color
R10 Gray Non-metallic 5.5 Fracture No Streak Round 34mm YES Non-magnetic
Color
Illustration: (Image of the selected area and collected rock samples)
COLLECTED ROCK SAMPLES
IMAGE OF THE SELECTED AREA
Discussions:
1. How can we classify sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic rocks?
Rocks make up and solidify the Earth, and such aggregate contributes to the
formations of massive landforms of the planet, they can be classified into three major
classes, sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic rocks. Sedimentary rocks are those
deposited within the Earth’s surface and with the aid of water, wind, ice, living things, and
many other elements, sedimentary rocks are lithified and compacted together as they form
layering’s of color, size, and type of arrangement. Furthermore, the molten mixture of rock-
forming minerals that solidify from magma and high-temperature vicinities is called igneous
rocks; they originate deep within the Earth, typically in the upper mantle. And finally,
metamorphic rocks, which are formed through preexisting rocks which subsidize in high
temperature and pressure, this process is called metamorphism which forms new types of
rock.
2. Explain what physical characteristics are difficult to observe, which are easily
observable.
With every rocks having different physical characteristics, observation is done
differently in each subject. Some had characteristics stronger than other rocks which gave
the more time for observation, but I must say that the physical characteristics that was difficult
to observe was their hardness, as they differ from each other they have different level of
hardness that vary from what materials are used to scratch them. As well as identifying the
cracks and scratches that was made by the materials used because some may not appear on
the first try. On the other hand, the factor that was easily observable was identifying the rock
sample’s color, from what we can see from the naked eye is the main color of a certain rock,
it is made easy because we simply look and judge on what color it has.
3. Explain the importance of physical properties in rock/minerals identification.
The physical properties that help geologists identify a mineral in a rock are color,
hardness, luster, crystal forms, density, and cleavage. And such physical properties may
greatly contribute to the findings and knowledge about the Earth’s materials, structures as
well as land systems. It also provides geologists a guide to determine a rock/mineral's value
and type, in a way that they can classify and segregate rocks/minerals of different
components and compositions. This way we can easily identify rocks/minerals in just a look
at their physical properties.
4. Which type of rock is important in hydrocarbon exploration?
Different types of rocks such as sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic rocks have
distinct characteristics from each other that vary in different purposes and classifications, but
all these rocks can be a source and act as a reservoir rock for hydrocarbon exploration as
long as it can take in hydrocarbons. Hydrocarbons are stored in a reservoir rock and among
the classification of rocks, the world is dominated by sedimentary rocks for being the most
likely to become a source of a hydrocarbon reservoir, this is for the reason, sedimentary
rocks possess more porosity than the other rock classifications.
5. Why is geology important in Oil and Gas Industry?
Oil and gas have been the most important energy resource of the 20th century and will
continue to be so in the 21st century. And as we know the formation of Oil and Gas takes place
deep within our Earth’s crust and seabed, with these massive landforms that are dug up beneath
the surface to extract our main source of energy. And with that to be possible, an adequate
knowledge of our planet’s geology is needed for such a complex exploration of energy. This is
where the importance of geologists comes within the Oil and Gas industry, the interpretation of
geologic records must be done excellently for us to explore hydrocarbons, geologists develop a
viable model of the subsurface in oil and gas explorations, it needs to be consistent with geologic
principles for the operation to work properly. And without that, hydrocarbon exploration and the
findings of Oil and Gas wouldn’t be complete and precise, for geology is a major factor that
contributes to the energy that we use from the past up to the present and the future.
Conclusion:
The world have massive landforms that hides minerals and rocks of different types, these
rocks differ from each other so much that they have different physical and chemical property that
make up a rock. From the experiment done we can conclude that identifying physical properties of
rocks can be done in many ways. We can name and identify a rock based on their color, size, shape,
reaction to chemicals, weather they are metallic or non-metallic and many more. And these factors
helps geologists so much in a way that they contribute in many fields of engineering, and Petroleum
Engineering is one of the fields that have a deep connection with rocks as oil reservoirs are present
on different rock formation deep within the ground. Moreover, the way we identify and classify rocks
is really important as we continue engineering field such as these, with the aid of proper knowledge
we can be good in identifying oil reservoirs and minerals present in a certain material. Adding to that,
we can be knowledgeable in the tiny things around us, and who would have known that these
aggregates that are around us have complexity in what they are made of. Also, the reaction of
different rocks in a certain chemical, from the experiment we can conclude that many rocks react to
different kind of chemical as they have different factors and characteristics, this is a factor that
makes rocks different from one another to have different reactions on certain elements and pressure.
And lastly, the importance of geology not just in the study of rocks but as well as having deep
understanding of what these are made of, this can be useful in courses such as engineering as they
contribute to the factors of engineering is deeply related to these kinds of materials.
Prepared by:
Engr. Melannie P. Adante
