PHY 205L M2 Mineral Property Identification Lab Report
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Metropolitan Community College, Omaha *
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Course
205
Subject
Geology
Date
Dec 6, 2023
Type
docx
Pages
7
Uploaded by MrDickButtkiss
Mineral Property Identification
Mr. Dick Buttkiss
November 5, 2023
1
Data
Activity 1
Data Table 1
Mi
ne
ral
#
Lust
er
Color
Stre
ak
Colo
r
Relativ
e
Hardne
ss
Cleavag
e or
Fracture
Reactio
n to
Acid
Magnetis
m
Tenacit
y
Uniqu
e Feel
or
Smell
Miner
al
Name
1
NM
Green
Whit
e
>3 <5.5
Conchoidal
No
No
Brittle
Glassy
Flourit
e
2
NM
Pink
Pink
>3 <5.5
2Directions
at 90
No
No
Brittle
Rough
Feldspar
3
NM
Red
Red
Brown
<=2.5
Conchoid
No
No
Brittle
Smooth
&
uneven
Hematite
4
M
Silver
Dark
Grey
5
Conchoid
No
No
Brittle
Smooth
& coarse
Pyrite
5
NM
White
Whit
e
>=7
Irregular
No
No
Brittle
Rough &
Smooth
Quartz
Milky
6
NM
White
Whit
e
>2.5
<=3
3Directions
not at 90
Yes
No
Brittle
Smooth
Calcite
7
NM
Grey
Grey
>5.5 <7
irregular
No
No
Brittle
Rough &
uneven
Mica var
musovite
8
M
Dark
Grey
Grey
>3 <5.5
2 Directions
No
Yes
Brittle
Rough &
Smooth
Magnetite
9
NM
White
Whit
e
<=2.5
1 Direction
No
No
Brittle
Smooth
& Soapy
Gypsum
Alabaster
10
NM
Grey
Whit
e
<=2.5
irregular
No
No
Brittle
Greasy Talc
11
NM
White
Whit
e
>2.5
<=3
2 Directions
at 90
No
No
Brittle
Glassy
Halite
12
NM
Black
Grey
<=2.5
1Direction
Flat sheets
No
No
Flexible
Glassy
Mica var
Biotite
13
M
Dark
Grey
Dark
Grey
<=2.5
irregular
No
No
Brittle
Slippery
&
Smooth
Graphite
14
NM
White w/
RedBrow
n
Whit
e
<=2.5
conchoidal
No
No
Brittle
Smooth
& Sandy
Gypsum
var Satin
15
NM
White
Whit
e
<=2.5
Fibrous
No
No
Brittle
Rough &
Smooth
Gypsum
Selenite
© 2016 Carolina Biological Supply Company
2
Questions:
Answer the following questions to support your understanding of mineral properties.
1)
What is the difference between a rock and a mineral?
Minerals are formed from specific chemical compositions and are the building blocks of rocks. Rocks contain minerals and sometimes a variety of them, however, minerals are not rocks in and of themselves. Minerals are naturally occurring while rocks are generally made up of two or more minerals
as a result of geological processes.
2)
What are the requirements to be a mineral?
Minerals are naturally occurring solids with specific chemical structures; their atoms have a specific structure/repeating pattern (a regular crystal structure). They are not made of organic material and are homogenous and solid at room temperature.
3)
If your rock or mineral sample reacts with acid (e.g. acetic acid), what type of mineral would that rock or mineral sample likely contain?
Reacting with acid generally means the sample is a carbonate, such as calcite, which was the only sample that fizzed (effervesced).
4)
Why might color not be the most reliable characteristic when dealing with nonmetallic minerals?
A great many nonmetallic minerals are transparent and most can be affected by their environment, altering their physical appearance. In other words, the same mineral may have entirely different colors in different environments making any assumptions based off color potentially inaccurate.
5)
What mineral do you think is the most important to your life? Why? What is its typical use?
I would think that copper is probably most important considering it is the most available and abundant conductor of electricity that we have, from phone chargers and indoor lighting, to cables for your vehicle © 2016 Carolina Biological Supply Company
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instruments/battery, including coax cables which were dominantly used for phone and television for decades until recent fiber optic cables started replacing them. It has been a crucial mineral for a vast amount of uses from start of our electrical/industrial era through today. The world relies on it heavily. Currently, I lead a fabrication department that makes the high voltage and ground systems for Massive switchgears that power hospitals, commercial buildings, multiple hotels and emergency services in Hawaii,
etc. and I fabricate everything from copper bar stock. Photos
Insert the photos from Activity 1, step 3b. Photographs should show each mineral with its streak on the corresponding streak plate. © 2016 Carolina Biological Supply Company
4
© 2016 Carolina Biological Supply Company
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© 2016 Carolina Biological Supply Company
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© 2016 Carolina Biological Supply Company