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Activity 2 Mineral Identification

The document outlines an activity for Senior High School students at Our Lady of Fatima University to identify mineral characteristics, including color, streak, luster, hardness, specific gravity, crystal habit, and cleavage. Students are instructed to find a rock or mineral and utilize various tools and methods for testing. Additionally, students must document their findings and clean their work area after the activity.

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11 views

Activity 2 Mineral Identification

The document outlines an activity for Senior High School students at Our Lady of Fatima University to identify mineral characteristics, including color, streak, luster, hardness, specific gravity, crystal habit, and cleavage. Students are instructed to find a rock or mineral and utilize various tools and methods for testing. Additionally, students must document their findings and clean their work area after the activity.

Uploaded by

forgenshintest1234
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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OUR LADY OF FATIMA UNIVERSITY

QUEZON CITY CAMPUS | College of Arts and Sciences


SENIOR HIGHSCHOOL DEPARTMENT
EARTH SCIENCE | 1st semester

Activity 2: Mineral Identification


Instructions:
For this activity, you will be identifying a rock or a mineral characteristic.
1. Color
2. Streak
3. Luster
4. Hardness
5. Specific gravity
6. Crystal habit
7. Cleavage

Materials to bring (individual):


Find a Rock or Mineral:
• Explore your surroundings: Go outside and find a rock or mineral that you’d like
to test. It can be from your yard, a park, or any safe location. Make sure it's not
something valuable or part of a structure.
• Select a sample: Choose a rock or mineral that you find interesting. It doesn’t
need to be large, but it should have a flat surface for testing.

Materials to bring (group):


• Magnifying glass
• A small container which you can use to pour water on the measuring cup with your
mineral on it.
• A measuring cup with volume indicated in unit of mililiters (mL)
• Flashlight
Homemade Mohs Hardness Kit:
1. Fingernail (~2.5 on the Mohs scale)
o Your fingernail can be used to test very soft minerals like talc and gypsum.
If your fingernail scratches the mineral, its hardness is less than 2.5.
2. 25 centavo coin (~3.5)
o can scratch minerals like calcite but not those that are harder.
3. Iron Nail or Screw (~4.5)
o An iron nail or screw can be used to scratch minerals like fluorite. If the
mineral scratches the nail, it’s likely harder than 4.5.
4. Glass Plate (~5.5)
o A glass plate, such as a windowpane or glass bottle, can be used to test
minerals like apatite. If the mineral scratches the glass, its hardness is
above 5.5.
5. Steel Nail or File (~6.5)
o A steel nail or metal file can be used to test minerals harder than the glass.
Quartz, for instance, will scratch a steel nail or file.
6. Ceramic Tile or Unglazed Porcelain (~7)
o A piece of unglazed porcelain (like the back of a tile) can help test the
hardness of minerals around 6-7, such as quartz. If the mineral can scratch
the porcelain, it is very hard.

Instructions on how to identify the minerals characteristics (do this individually):

1. Color
• Observation: Simply look at the mineral's color. It’s one of the first things you’ll
notice, but remember that color alone isn’t always reliable for identification, as
many minerals can come in a variety of colors.
• Tip: Compare the color of your mineral with known samples or pictures in a mineral
guide.

2. Streak

• Materials: Streak plate (an unglazed white porcelain tile) or the back of a
ceramic tile.
• Procedure: Rub the mineral across the streak plate to observe the color of the
streak it leaves behind.
• Result: The streak color is often more consistent than the color of the mineral
itself and can help in identification.

3. Luster

• Observation: Hold the mineral under a light source and observe how it reflects
light.
• Types of Luster:
o Metallic: Shiny like metal (e.g., pyrite).
o Non-metallic: Can be glassy (vitreous), pearly, silky, dull, or earthy.

4. Hardness
• Procedure: Follow the steps for the hardness test mentioned earlier. Try
to scratch your mineral with different items to determine its hardness.

5. Specific gravity

• Procedure:
• Weigh the mineral to find its mass. – approach me for this, I have a
weighing scale.
• Fill a container with water and note the water level.
• Submerge the mineral in water and note the new water level to find the
volume of water displaced.
• Calculate the specific gravity (density) by dividing the mass by the volume
of water displaced.

6. Crystal Habit

• Observation: Look closely at the mineral's crystal shape or form. Crystal


habit refers to the common or characteristic shape of the crystals.
• Types of Crystal Habit:
o Cubic: Like salt or pyrite.
o Hexagonal: Like quartz.
o Tabular: Like mica sheets.
• Tip: Use a hand lens or magnifying glass to observe small crystals.

7. Cleavage

• Identify Cleavage Planes: Look for natural lines or surfaces where the mineral
might break more easily.
• Prepare the Mineral: Place the mineral on a stable, flat surface.
• Use the Hammer: Gently tap the mineral along the identified cleavage planes
with the small hammer.
• Observe the Breakage: Check if the mineral breaks along smooth, flat surfaces.
This indicates cleavage.
• Record Findings: Note the nature of the breakage to assess the cleavage
pattern.

Additional instructions:

• Make sure that your working area is clean after your activity.
• Record and take pictures/videos of your activity as I will need you to upload
these on canvas for documentation.

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