Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

Phys. Geol. Minerals > mineral Identification > Flashcards

mineral Identification Flashcards

1
Q

Dxic flow - 1st decision

A

Is its Luster: Non-metallic, or Metallic?

Color:

  1. non-metallic: Light or Dark?
  2. metallic: Streak’s color + mineral’s color
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Second decision if

  1. Luster is non-metallic
  2. Luster is metallic
A
  1. Non-Metallic: Hardness vs. glass
  2. Metallic: Streak
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

If Non-Metallic, Light, is it:

A
  1. Harder than glass
  2. Softer than glass
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Metallic - 3 groups of streak colors:

A
  1. Streak is black, gray, or greenish-black:
  2. Streak is brown to reddish-brown:
  3. Streak is yellow or brown:
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Metallic - Streak is black, gray, or greenish-black, and: ✅1. Perfect cubic cleavage, silver-gray color: 2. Magnetic: 3. Steel gray color, H=1, greasy feel: 4. Golden yellow, greenish-black streak: 5. Brass yellow, cubic crystals:

A

Galena - PbS

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Metallic - 4th dxic criterion Streak is black, gray, or greenish-black, and: 1. Perfect cubic cleavage, silver-gray color: ✅2. Magnetic: 3. Steel gray color, H=1, greasy feel: 4. Golden yellow, greenish-black streak: 5. Brass yellow, cubic crystals:

A

Magnetite - Fe₃O₄

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Metallic - Streak is black, gray, or greenish-black, and: 1. Perfect cubic cleavage, silver-gray color: 2. Magnetic: ✅3. Steel gray color, H=1, greasy feel (not granular, fibrous, or micaceous [Hematite]): 4. Golden yellow, greenish-black streak: 5. Brass yellow, cubic crystals:

A

Graphite - C

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Metallic - 4th dxic criterion Streak is black, gray, or greenish-black, and: 1. Perfect cubic cleavage, silver-gray color: 2. Magnetic: 3. Steel gray color, H=1, greasy feel: ✅4. Golden yellow, greenish-black streak: 5. Brass yellow, cubic crystals:

A

Chalcopyrite - CuFeS₂

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Metallic - Streak is black, gray, or greenish-black, and: 1. Perfect cubic cleavage, silver-gray color: 2. Magnetic: 3. Steel gray color, H=1, greasy feel: 4. Golden yellow, greenish-black streak: ✅5. Brass yellow, cubic crystals:

A

Pyrite - FeS₂

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Metallic - Streak brown to reddish-brown, Mineral steel gray and granular, fibrous, or micaceous [not soft or greasy-feeling {≡Graphite}]

A

Hematite - Fe₂O₃

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Metallic - Streak yellow, brown, or brownish yellow; Mineral is yellow, brown, or black

A

Limonite - Fe₂O₃•H₂O

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

If non-metallic, light, +H +Clvg, it is:

A

Feldspar

Both types of feldspars exhibit good cleavage in 2 directions at 〜90º

Orthoclase - light to dark, salmon pinks (K)

Plagioclase - white, grays (Ca, Na)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

If it’s Non-met, +H (=7), —Clvg, +Conchoidal fracture it is:

A

Quartz - SiO2

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

A mineral is Non-Metallic, Light color, —H, ++Clvg has:

✅1. Perfect cubic cleavage; salty taste; colorless to white; soluble in water

  1. Perfect cleavage in 1 direction, poor in 2 others; H=2
  2. Perfect cleavage in 3 directions at 〜75°; effervesces in HCl / 4. efferv. only if powdered
  3. Good cleavage in 4 directions
  4. Perfect cleavage in 1 direction —> thin, elastic sheets
  5. Green to white; soapy feel; pearly luster; H=1; 1 dir of cleavage
A

Halite - NaCl

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

A mineral is Non-Metall, Light color, —H, ++Clvg and has:
1. Perfect cubic cleavage; salty taste; colorless to white; soluble in water
✅2. Perfect cleavage in 1 direction, poor clvg in 2 others; H=2
3. Perfect cleavage in 3 directions at ～75°; effervesces in HCl / 4. efferv. only if powdered
5. Good cleavage in 4 directions
6. Perfect cleavage in 1 direction —> thin, elastic sheets
7. Green to white; soapy feel; pearly luster; H=1; 1 dir of cleavage

A

Gypsum - CaSO4・2H2O

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

A mineral is Non-Metallic, Light color, —H, ++Clvg and has:
1. Perfect cubic cleavage; salty taste; colorless to white; soluble in water
2. Perfect cleavage in 1 direction, poor in 2 others; H=2
✅3. Perfect cleavage in 3 directions at ～75°; effervesces in HCl / or 4. efferv. only if powdered
5. Good cleavage in 4 directions
6. Perfect cleavage in 1 direction —> thin, elastic sheets
7. Green to white; soapy feel; pearly luster; H=1; 1 dir of cleavage

A

Calcite - CaCo3

(Fine-grained crystaline aggregates form limestone and marble.)

17
Q

A mineral is Non-Metallic, Light color, —H, ++Clvg and has:

  1. Perfect cubic cleavage; salty taste; colorless to white; soluble in water
  2. Perfect cleavage in 1 direction, poor in 2 others; H=2
  3. Perfect cleavage in 3 directions at ～75°; solid surface effervesces in HCl

✅4. Perfect cleavage in 3 directions at ～75°; effervesces in HCl only if powdered

  1. Good cleavage in 4 directions
  2. Perfect cleavage in 1 direction —> thin, elastic sheets
  3. Green to white; soapy feel; pearly luster; H=1; 1 dir of cleavage
A

Dolomite - CaMg(CO3)2

18
Q

A mineral is Non-Metallic, Light color, —H, ++Clvg and has:
1. Perfect cubic cleavage; salty taste; colorless to white; soluble in water
2. Perfect cleavage in 1 direction, poor in 2 others; H=2
3. Perfect cleavage in 3 directions at ～75°; effervesces in HCl / 4. efferv. only if powdered
✅5. Good cleavage in 4 directions
6. Perfect cleavage in 1 direction —> thin, elastic sheets
7. Green to white; soapy feel; pearly luster; H = 1; 1 dir of cleavage

A

Fluorite - CaF2

19
Q

A mineral is Non-Metallic, Light color, —H, ++Clvg and has:
1. Perfect cubic cleavage; salty taste; colorless to white; soluble in water
2. Perfect cleavage in 1 direction, poor in 2 others; H=2
3. Perfect cleavage in 3 directions at ～75°; effervesces in HCl / 4. efferv. only if powdered
5. Good cleavage in 4 directions
✅6. Perfect cleavage in 1 direction —> thin, elastic sheets
7. Green to white; soapy feel; pearly luster; H=1; 1 dir of cleavage

A

Muskovite - KAl3AlSi3O10(OH)2

20
Q

A mineral is Non-Metallic, Light color, —H, ++Clvg and has:
1. Perfect cubic cleavage; salty taste; colorless to white; soluble in water
2. Perfect cleavage in 1 direction, poor in 2 others; H=2
3. Perfect cleavage in 3 directions at ～75°; effervesces in HCl / 4. efferv. only if powdered
5. Good cleavage in 4 directions
6. Perfect cleavage in 1 direction —> thin, elastic sheets
✅7. Green to white; soapy feel; pearly luster; H=1; 1 dir of cleavage

A

Talc - Mg3Si4O10(OH)2

21
Q

A mineral is Non-Metallic, Light color, —H, —Clvg, with

Color: White to Red

Earthy masses

A

Kaolinite - Al4Si4O10(OH)8

22
Q

A mineral is Non-M, Dark, +H, +Clvg and has Cleavage in:

✅ 2 directions at nearly 90º; dark green to black;

2 directions at approx. 60º and 120º; dark green to black or brown;

Good cleavage in 2 directions at approx. 90º; gray to blue-gray;

A

Pyroxene Group

Complex Ca, Mg, Fe, Al silicates

23
Q

A mineral is Non-M, Dark, +H, +Clvg and has cleavage in:

2 directions at nearly 90º; dark green to black;
✅ 2 directions at approx. 60º and 120º; dark green to black or brown;
Good cleavage in 2 directions at approx. 90º; gray to blue-gray;

A

Amphibole Group

Complex Na Ca Mg Fe Al silicates

24
Q

A mineral is Non-M, Dark, +H, +Clvg and has Cleavage in:
2 directions at nearly 90º; dark green to black;
2 directions at approx. 60º and 120º; dark green to black or brown;
✅ Good cleavage in 2 directions at approx. 90º; gray to blue-gray;

A

Plagioclase feldspar - NaAlSi3O8 to CaAl2Si2O4

25
Q

A mineral is Non-M, Dark, +H, —Clvg and:

✅ 1. Comes in various shades of green; sometimes yellowish; commonly in aggregates of small, glassy grains;

  1. Is red, brown or yellow; vitreous luster;
  2. Conchoidal fracture; gray to gray-black; vitreous luster;
A

Olivine - (Fe, Mg)2SiO4

26
Q

A mineral is Non-M, Dark, +H, —Clvg and:

  1. Comes in various shades of green; sometimes yellowish; commonly in aggregates of small, glassy grains;

✅ 2. Is red, brown or yellow; vitreous luster;

  1. Conchoidal fracture; gray to gray-black; vitreous luster;
A

Garnet Group - Fe, Mg, Ca, Al silicates

27
Q

A mineral is Non-M, Dark, +H, —Clvg and:

  1. Comes in various shades of green; sometimes yellowish; commonly in aggregates of small, glassy grains;
  2. Is red, brown or yellow; glassy luster;

✅ 3. Conchoidal fracture; gray to gray-black; vitreous luster;

A

Quartz - SiO2

28
Q

A mineral is Non-M, Dark, -H, +Clvg and:

✅ 1. Brown to black; 1 perfect cleavage;

  1. Green to very dark green; 1 cleavage direction;
  2. Yellowish brown; resinous luster;
  3. Four perfect cleavage directions;
A

Biotite - K(Mg, Fe)3AlSi3O10(OH)2

29
Q

A mineral is Non-M, Dark, -H, +Clvg and:

  1. Brown to black; 1 perfect cleavage;
    ✅ 2. Green to very dark green; 1 cleavage direction;
  2. Yellowish brown; resinous luster;
  3. Four perfect cleavage directions;
A

Chlorite - Hydrous Mg, Fe, Al silicate

30
Q

A mineral is Non-M, Dark, -H, +Clvg and:
1. Brown to black; 1 perfect cleavage;
2. Green to very dark green; 1 cleavage direction;
✅ 3. Yellowish brown; resinous luster; clvg in 6 directions;
4. Four perfect cleavage directions;

A

Sphalerite - ZnS

31
Q

A mineral is Non-M, Dark, -H, +Clvg and:

  1. Brown to black; 1 perfect cleavage;
  2. Green to very dark green; 1 cleavage direction;
  3. Yellowish brown; resinous luster;
    ✅ 4. Four perfect cleavage directions;
A

Fluorite - CaF2

32
Q

A mineral is Non-M, Dark, -H, -Clvg and:

✅ 1. Red, earthy appearance; red streak;

  1. Yellowish-brown streak; yellowish-brown to dark brown;
A

Hematite - Fe2O3 (earth variety)

33
Q

A mineral is Non-M, Dark, -H, -Clvg and:
1. Red, earthy appearance; red streak;
✅ 2. Yellowish-brown streak; mineral yellowish-brown to dark brown;

A

Limonite - Fe2O3 • H2O

Phys. Geol. Minerals (1 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions