PROPERTIES OF

VARIOUS MINERALS
Submitted by Erika Mae Clacio
 QUARTZ
NAME: Quartz
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION: SiO2
CHEMICAL CLASSIFICATION: Silicate
COLOR: Occurs in almost every color
STREAK: Colorless
LUSTER: Vitreous
HARDNESS: 7
SPECIFIC GRAVITY: 2.6 to 2.7
CRYSTAL SYSTEM: Hexagonal
FRACTURE: Conchoidal
USES: Glass making, abrasive, foundry sand,
hydraulic fracturing proppant, gemstones

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CALCITE
NAME: Calcite
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION: CaCO3
CHEMICAL CLASSIFICATION: Carbonate
COLOR: Usually white but also in various colors
STREAK: White
LUSTER: Vitreous
HARDNESS: 3
SPECIFIC GRAVITY: 2.7
CRYSTAL SYSTEM: Hexagonal
CLEAVAGE: Perfect, rhombohedral, three directions
USES: Acid neutralization, a low-hardness abrasive,
soil conditioner, heated for the production of lime

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND

 PLAGIOCLASE
NAME: Plagioclase
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION: NaAlSi3O8 –
CaAl2Si2O8
CHEMICAL CLASSIFICATION: Silicate
COLOR: Usually white or gray but also in various colors
STREAK: White
LUSTER: Vitreous; pearly on some cleavage faces
HARDNESS: 6 to 6.5
SPECIFIC GRAVITY: 2.6 to 2.8
CRYSTAL SYSTEM: Triclinic
CLEAVAGE: Perfect cleavage
USES: Building stones, for decorative and architectural
stone

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BIOTITE
NAME: Biotite
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION: K(Mg,Fe)2-3Al1-
2Si2-3O10(OH,F)2
CHEMICAL CLASSIFICATION: Dark mica
COLOR: Black, dark green, dark brown
STREAK: White to gray
LUSTER: Vitreous
HARDNESS: 2.5 to 3
SPECIFIC GRAVITY: 2.7 to 3.4
CRYSTAL SYSTEM: Monoclinic
CLEAVAGE: Basal, perfect
USES: Very little industrial use, sealant

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 MICA
NAME: Mica
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION: AB2-
3(X,Si)4O10(O,F,OH)2
CHEMICAL CLASSIFICATION: Phyllosilicate
COLOR: Occurs in every color
STREAK: White, colorless
LUSTER: Pearly, vitreous
HARDNESS: 2.5 to 4
SPECIFIC GRAVITY: 2.8 to 3
CRYSTAL SYSTEM: Monoclinic
CLEAVAGE: Perfect cleavage
USES: electrical condensers, optical instruments,
dusting medium, filler, absorbent, lubricant

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BENTONITE
NAME: Bentonite
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION: Al2O3 5SiO2 nH2O
CHEMICAL CLASSIFICATION: Oxide
COLOR: White, pale blue, green (fresh); yellow, red,
brown (weathered exposure)
STREAK: White
LUSTER: Greasy or oily
HARDNESS: 1.5 to 2
SPECIFIC GRAVITY: 2 to 2.7
CLEAVAGE: Facile cleavage
USES: Drilling mud, binder, purification, absorbent,
carrier for pesticides, fertilizer, and fire retardants,
filler for products, sealant, medical use, farming,
pottery

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 MONTMORILLONITE
NAME: Montmorillonite
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION:
(Na,Ca)0.33(Al,Mg)2(Si4O10)(OH)2-nH2O
CHEMICAL CLASSIFICATION: Oxide
COLOR: White, pale pink, blue, yellow, red, green
STREAK: White
LUSTER: Earthy or dull
HARDNESS: 1.5 to 2
SPECIFIC GRAVITY: 1.7 to 2
CRYSTAL SYSTEM: Monoclinic
CLEAVAGE: Perfect cleavage
USES: Oil drilling, soil additive, component of
foundry sand, desiccant

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DOLOMITE
NAME: Dolomite
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION: CaMg(CO3)2
CHEMICAL CLASSIFICATION: Carbonate
COLOR: Colorless, white, pink, green gray, brown, black
STREAK: White
LUSTER: Pearly, vitreous
HARDNESS: 3.5 to 4
SPECIFIC GRAVITY: 2.8 to 2.9
CRYSTAL SYSTEM: Hexagonal
CLEAVAGE: Perfect, rhombohedral, three directions
USES: Construction aggregate, cement manufacture,
dimension stone, calcined to produce lime, oil and gas
reservoir, a source of magnesia, metallurgical flux

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 MAGNETITE
NAME: Magnetite
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION: Fe3O4
CHEMICAL CLASSIFICATION: Oxide
COLOR: Black to silvery gray
STREAK: Black
LUSTER: Metallic to submetallic
HARDNESS: 5 to 6.5
SPECIFIC GRAVITY: 5.2
CRYSTAL SYSTEM: Isometric
CLEAVAGE: None
USES: The most important ore of iron, heavy media,
abrasive, studies of Earth’s magnetic field

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PYROXENE
NAME: Pyroxene
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION: XYZ2O6
CHEMICAL CLASSIFICATION: Silicate
COLOR: Usually dark green to dark brown or black
STREAK: White
LUSTER: Vitreous to dull
HARDNESS: 5 to 7
SPECIFIC GRAVITY: 3 to 4
CRYSTAL SYSTEM: Monoclinic or orthorhombic
CLEAVAGE: Two directions
USES: Used as crushed stone and dimension stone,
gem materials

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 OLIVINE
NAME: Olivine
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION: (Mg, Fe)2SiO4
CHEMICAL CLASSIFICATION: Silicate
COLOR: Olive green, yellow green, brownish green,
brown
STREAK: Colorless
LUSTER: Vitreous
HARDNESS: 6.5 to 7
SPECIFIC GRAVITY: 3.2 to 4.4
CRYSTAL SYSTEM: Orthorhombic
CLEAVAGE: Poor cleavage, conchoidal fracture
USES: Gemstones, bricks and refractory sand

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CHROMITE
NAME: Chromite
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION: FeCr2O4
CHEMICAL CLASSIFICATION: Oxide
COLOR: Dark gray to black, brownish black
STREAK: Dark brown
LUSTER: Metallic to submetallic
HARDNESS: 5.5 to 6
SPECIFIC GRAVITY: 4 to 5.1
CRYSTAL SYSTEM: Isometric
CLEAVAGE: None
USES: An ore of chromium

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 K-FELDSPAR
NAME: K-Feldspar
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION: KAlSi3O8
CHEMICAL CLASSIFICATION: Oxide
COLOR: Off-white or shades of red, orange, and brown,
occasionally green
STREAK: White
LUSTER: Vitreous to porcelaneous
HARDNESS: 6
SPECIFIC GRAVITY: 2.6
CRYSTAL SYSTEM: Triclinic or monoclinic
CLEAVAGE: Perfect
USES: Aggregate in concrete and asphalt, building stones,
manufacture of glass, enamel, and scouring powder

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HORNBLENDE
NAME: Hornblende
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION: (CaNa)2-
3(Mg,Fe,Al)5(Al,Si)8O22(OH,F)2
CHEMICAL CLASSIFICATION: Silicate
COLOR: Black, dark green, dark brown
STREAK: White, colorless
LUSTER: Vitreous
HARDNESS: 5 to 6
SPECIFIC GRAVITY: 2.9 to 3.5
CRYSTAL SYSTEM: Monoclinic
CLEAVAGE: Two directions
USES: Very little industrial use, mineral exploration

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 GARNET
NAME: Garnet
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION: X3Y2(SiO4)3
CHEMICAL CLASSIFICATION: Silicate
COLOR: Red, but also in various colors
STREAK: Colorless
LUSTER: Vitreous
HARDNESS: 6.5 to 7.5
SPECIFIC GRAVITY: 3.5 to 4.3
CRYSTAL SYSTEM: Isometric
CLEAVAGE: None
USES: Waterjet cutting granules, abrasive blasting
granules, filtration granules, abrasive grits and
powders, gemstones

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