GEOLOGY - CHAPTER2 (PPM) Flashcards
This are used by mineralogist in helping determine and identifying a specimen.
Physical Properties of minerals
is done by checking for certain mineral properties or characteristics
Mineral Identification
It is a property associated by the resistance of a mineral to scratching
HARDNESS
A property of minerals
that describes a tendency to break
along smooth, flat planes.
It used to identify minerals based
on the number and angle of these
cleavage planes
CLEAVAGE
This occurs when there is only one cleavage plane
Basal or Pinacoidal Cleavage
Occurs when there are three cleavage planes intersecting in 90 degrees
Cubic Cleavage
Occurs when there are four cleavage planes in a crystal
Octahedral Cleavage
It occurs when there are three cleavage planes intersecting at angles that are not 90 degrees
Rhombohedral Cleavage
This occurs when there are two cleavage planes in a crystal
Prismatic Cleavage
It occurs when there are six cleavage planes in a crystal
Dodecahedral Cleavage
A property of minerals that is sometimes purely diagnostic.
For some minerals it is not all diagnostic because some minerals are allochromatic.
color
The color produced by a fine powder of the mineral when scratched on a streak plate
Streak
It has the appearance of a polished metal
Metallic Luster
The mineral is opaque, dull and dark colored
Submetallic Luster
It has a glassy appearance
Vitreous
It appears resinous
Resinous
TYPES OF
NON-METALLIC LUSTER
Vitreous
Resinous
Pearly
Greasy
Silky
Adamantine
It has an iridescent pearl-like
Pearly
Appears to be covered with a thin layer of oil
Greasy
It appears is fibrous.
Silky
It has a brilliant luster
Adamantine
It refers to the way the atoms that make up the mineral are arranged internally.
Crystalline Structure
It refer to the way mineral breaks
The mineral may break into splinters, rough irregularly surfaced pieces as well as shell shaped forms knows as conchoidal fractures.
FRACTURE
This refers to the ability of the mineral to hold together when crushed.
TENACITY
DIFFERENT FORMS OF TENACITY
Brittle
Ductile
Flexible
Elastic
- The mineral is considered brittle when hammered and the result is powder or small
crumbs
Brittle
The mineral can be flattened by the pounding
Malleable
The mineral can be stretched into a wired
Ductile
It can be bent but remains in the position after it is bent
Flexible
When bent, they spring back to their original position.
Elastic
is the ratio of the weight of the mineral to the weight of an equal volume of
Water
SPECIFIC GRAVITY-
refers to the property of possessing a magnetic force field
MAGNETISM-
It describes strong attraction to magnetic fields
FERROMAGNITISM
is weak attraction to magnetic fields
Most paramagnetic minerals become strongly magnetic when heated
PARAMAGNETISM
is the repelling from the magnetic fields
DIAGMAGNETISM
It generates magnetic field on its own
MAGNETISM
refers to the emission of light (to which the eyes are sensitive) by a mineral that
is being stimulated by the absorption of ultraviolet or X-ray radiation.
FLUORESCENCE
refers to the emission of light by a mineral after the stimulating source
(rays or ultraviolet radiation) has been removed
PHOSPHORESCENCE
