Mineralogy Flashcards
Hardness of diamond
a. 5
b. 10
c. 9
d. 8
b. 10
Hardness of corundum
a. 9
b. 4
c. 7
d. 6
a. 9
Hardness of talc
a. 4
b. 3
c. 1
d. 2
c. 1
Hardness of calcite
a. 5
b. 6
c. 4
d. 3
d. 3
Hardness of apatite
a. 6
b. 4
c. 7
d. 5
d. 5
Hardness of topaz
a. 8
b. 7
d. 9
c. 6
a. 8
Hardness of gypsum
a. 3
b. 2
c. 1
d. 4
b. 2
Hardness of quartz
a. 5
b. 7
c. 9
d. 8
b. 7
Hardness of orthoclase
a. 9
b. 7
c. 6
d. 8
c. 6
Hardness of fluorite
a. 5
b. 3
c. 6
d. 4
d. 4
The hardness of masonry drill bit
a. 9.5
b. 9
c. 8.5
d. 8
c. 8.5
Hardness of a finger nail
a. 3.5
b. 5.5
c. 2.5
d. 4.5
c. 2.5
Hardness of steel nail
a. 7.5
b. 5.5
c. 6.5
d. 8.5
c. 6.5
Hardness of a knife/ glass plate
a. 9.5
b. 7.5
c. 4.5
d. 5.5
d. 5.5
The hardness of copper penny
a. 3.5
b. 4.5
c. 7.5
c. 6
a. 3.5
a homogenous solid possessing long- range, three dimensional, internal orders.
a. mineral
b. rocks
c. crystals
c. crystals
a naturally occurring homogenous solid, with definite chemical composition and an ordered atomic arrangement. It is usually formed by inorganic processes.
a. mineral
b. rocks
c. crystals
a. mineral
an aggregate of minerals. It can be composed of only one kind of mineral (monomineralic) or of different kinds of minerals
a. mineral
b. rocks
c. crystals
b. rocks
minerals which have ornamental value, and which possess the qualities of beauty, durability, rarity, fashionability and portability
a. ore minerals
b. gems
c. industrial minerals
b. gems
those minerals from which one or more metals may be extracted at a profit.
a. ore minerals
b. gems
c. industrial minerals
a. ore minerals
those minerals which are, themselves, used for one or more industrial purposes such as in the manufacture of electrical and thermal insulators.
a. ore minerals
b. gems
c. industrial minerals
c. industrial minerals
Four axes. Three of the axes fall in the same plane and intersect at the axial cross at 120˚ between the positive ends. These three axes, labeled a1, a2, and a3 are of the same length.
a. triclinic
b. monoclinic
c. hexagonal
c. hexagonal
The three axes are all equal in length and intersect at three different angles ( any angle but 90°)
a. triclinic
b. monoclinic
c. hexagonal
a. triclinic
Three axes, all unequal in length, two of which (a and c) intersect at an oblique angle (not 90°), the third axis (b) is perpendicular to the other two axes.
a. triclinic
b. monoclinic
c. hexagonal
b. monoclinic
Three axes, all at right angles, and all three of different lengths
a. isometric
b. tetragonal
c. orthorhombic
c. orthorhombic
the three crystallographic axes are all equal in length and intersect at right angles (90o) to each other
a. isometric
b. tetragonal
c. orthorhombic
the three crystallographic axes are all equal in length and intersect at right angles (90o) to each other
a. isometric
b. tetragonal
c. orthorhombic
a. isometric
Three axes, all at right angles, two of which are equal in length (a and b) and one (c) which is different in length
a. isometric
b. tetragonal
c. orthorhombic
b. tetragonal
the resistance that the smooth surface of a mineral offers to scratch
a. cleavage
b. parting
c. fracture
d. hardness
d. hardness
ability of a mineral to break along a definite plane surface
a. cleavage
b. parting
c. fracture
d. hardness
a. cleavage
the way a mineral breaks when it does not yield along cleavage or parting
a. cleavage
b. parting
c. fracture
d. hardness
c. fracture
ability of a mineral to break along planes of structural weakness
a. cleavage
b. parting
c. fracture
d. hardness
b. parting
jagged fractures with sharp edges
a. conchoidal
b. hackly
c. fibrous or splintery
d. uneven or irregular
b. hackly
smooth, curved fracture resembling the surface of a shell
a. conchoidal
b. hackly
c. fibrous or splintery
d. uneven or irregular
a. conchoidal
rough surface
a. conchoidal
b. hackly
c. fibrous or splintery
d. uneven or irregular
d. uneven or irregular
the resistance that a mineral offers to breaking, crushing, bending or tearing or its cohesiveness
a. sectile
b. brittle
c. tenacity
c. tenacity
can be cut into thin shavings with a knife
a. sectile
b. brittle
c. tenacity
a. sectile
breaks or powders easily
a. sectile
b. brittle
c. tenacity
b. brittle
can be drawn into wire
a. elastic
b. ductile
c. flexible
d. malleable
b. ductile
can be hammered onto thin sheets
a. elastic
b. ductile
c. flexible
d. malleable
d. malleable
bends but does not resume its original shape when pressure is applied
a. elastic
b. ductile
c. flexible
d. malleable
c. flexible
bends and resumes its original shape upon release of pressure
a. elastic
b. ductile
c. flexible
d. malleable
a. elastic
refers to the general appearance of a mineral surface in reflected light
a. luster and transparency
b. non-metallic
c. metallic
d. vitreous
a. luster and transparency
like glass (e.g. Quartz
a. luster and transparency
b. non-metallic
c. metallic
d. vitreous
d. vitreous
the brilliant appearance of a mineral like a metal; opaque to light
a. luster and transparency
b. non-metallic
c. metallic
d. vitreous
c. metallic
light-colored and transmits light at least through thin edges
a. luster and transparency
b. non-metallic
c. metallic
d. vitreous
b. non-metallic
silk-like (e.g. Serpentine
a. silky
b. resinous
c. pearly
d. greasy
a. silky
appears as if covered with a thin layer of oil
a. silky
b. resinous
c. pearly
d. greasy
d. greasy
he luster of a resin (e.g. Sphalerite)
a. silky
b. resinous
c. pearly
d. greasy
b. resinous
an iridescent pearl-like luster (e.g. Talc)
a. silky
b. resinous
c. pearly
d. greasy
c. pearly
results, when white light strikes the surface of a mineral, one part of it, is reflected and the other refracted
a. streak
b. color
c. adamantine
d. specific gravity
b. color
the color of a finely powdered mineral; can be determined by rubbing the mineral on unglazed porcelain or a streak plate
a. streak
b. color
c. adamantine
d. specific gravity
a. streak
a hard, brilliant luster like that of diamond (e.g. Pb-minerals like Cerussite)
a. streak
b. color
c. adamantine
d. specific gravity
c. adamantine
the relative density (G) is a number that expresses the ratio between the weight of a substance and the weight of an equal volume of water at 4°C
a. streak
b. color
c. adamantine
d. specific gravity
d. specific gravity
ability of a mineral to be attracted to hand magnet
a. diamagnetic
b. ferromagnetic
c. paramagnetic
d. magnetism
d. magnetism
those that are repelled by a hand magnet
a. diamagnetic
b. ferromagnetic
c. paramagnetic
d. magnetism
a. diamagnetic
those that are attracted to hand magnet
a. diamagnetic
b. ferromagnetic
c. paramagnetic
d. magnetism
b. ferromagnetic
minerals that contain iron and ore attracted to hand magnet
a. diamagnetic
b. ferromagnetic
c. paramagnetic
d. magnetism
c. paramagnetic
the variation in color of a mineral when rotated or tilted at different angles in height
a. iridescence
b. play of colors
c. opalescence
d. tarnish
b. play of colors
includes labradorescence ; is usually due to the refraction and/or reflection of light rays along cleavage, fractures, twin planes, exsolution lamellae, etc. e.g. Labradorite
a. iridescence
b. play of colors
c. opalescence
d. tarnish
a. iridescence
is the color of the thin surface of film of material which forms as a result of exposure to the atmosphere
a. iridescence
b. play of colors
c. opalescence
d. tarnish
d. tarnish
results from the regular arrangement of inclusions in the mineral
a. iridescence
b. play of colors
c. opalescence
d. tarnish
c. opalescence
results from fibers or inclusions arranged in cavities
a. diaphaneity
b. chatoyancy
c. phosphorescence
d. asterism
e. luminescence
b. chatoyancy
type of fluorescence that persists even after the “energy” or radiation source is removed
a. diaphaneity
b. chatoyancy
c. phosphorescence
d. asterism
e. luminescence
c. phosphorescence
diffraction of light from regularly arranged inclusions, usually in tetragonal crystals
a. diaphaneity
b. chatoyancy
c. phosphorescence
d. asterism
e. luminescence
d. asterism
ambient emission of light by a mineral due to the prescence of activators (impurities)
a. diaphaneity
b. chatoyancy
c. phosphorescence
d. asterism
e. luminescence
e. luminescence
the ability of a mineral to pass light through it
a. diaphaneity
b. chatoyancy
c. phosphorescence
d. asterism
e. luminescence
a. diaphaneity
Elongated crystals flattened like a knife blade
a. bladed
b. acicular
c. capillary and filiform
a. bladed
hair-like or threadlike crystals
a. bladed
b. acicular
c. capillary and filiform
c. capillary and filiform
slender, needlelike crystals
a. bladed
b. acicular
c. capillary and filiform
b. acicular
Lattice-like groups of slender crystals
a. divergent or radiated
b. dendritic
c. reticulated
d. drusy
c. reticulated
Arborescent, in slender divergent branches, somewhat plant-like
a. divergent or radiated
b. dendritic
c. reticulated
d. drusy
b. dendritic
surface covered with a layer of small crystals
a. divergent or radiated
b. dendritic
c. reticulated
d. drusy
d. drusy
radiating crystal groups
a. divergent or radiated
b. dendritic
c. reticulated
d. drusy
a. divergent or radiated
radiating individuals terminating in round kidney-shaped masses.
a. columnar
b. bladed
c. fibrous
d. stellated
e. reniform
e. reniform
an aggregate of many flattened blades
a. columnar
b. bladed
c. fibrous
d. stellated
e. reniform
b. bladed
Stout, column-like individuals
a. columnar
b. bladed
c. fibrous
d. stellated
e. reniform
a. columnar
radiating individuals forming star-like or circular groups.
a. columnar
b. bladed
c. fibrous
d. stellated
e. reniform
d. stellated
aggregate of slender fibers, parallel or radiating
a. columnar
b. bladed
c. fibrous
d. stellated
e. reniform
c. fibrous
radiating individuals forming spherical or hemispherical groups.
a. colloform
b. mammilary
c. botroyoidal
d. globular
d. globular
large, rounded masses resembling mammilae, formed by radiating individuals
a. colloform
b. mammilary
c. botroyoidal
d. globular
b. mammilary
large, rounded masses resembling mammilae, formed by radiating individuals
a. colloform
b. mammilary
c. botroyoidal
d. globular
b. mammilary
spherical forms composed of radiating individuals without regard to size
a. colloform
b. mammilary
c. botroyoidal
d. globular
a. colloform
globular forms resembling, as the word derived from the Greek word implies “bunch of grapes”.
a. colloform
b. mammilary
c. botroyoidal
d. globular
c. botroyoidal
flat, plate-like individuals superimposed upon and adhering to each other.
a. foliated
b. micaceous
c. lammelar or tabular
d. plumose
c. lammelar or tabular
easily separable into plates or leaves
a. foliated
b. micaceous
c. lammelar or tabular
d. plumose
a. foliated
fine scales with divergent or featherlike structure
a. foliated
b. micaceous
c. lammelar or tabular
d. plumose
d. plumose
similar to foliated, but splits onto exceedingly thin sheets, as in micas.
a. foliated
b. micaceous
c. lammelar or tabular
d. plumose
b. micaceous
pendant cylinders or cone
a. concentric
b. stalactitic
c. granular
b. stalactitic
A mineral aggregated composed of grains is called _________.
a. concentric
b. stalactitic
c. granular
c. granular
more or less spherical layers superimposed upon one another about a common center
a. concentric
b. stalactitic
c. granular
a. concentric
rounded masses about size of peas.
a. pisolitic
b. oolitic
c. banded
a. pisolitic
mineral in narrow bands of different color or texture
a. pisolitic
b. oolitic
c. banded
c. banded
small spheres resembling fish roe
a. pisolitic
b. oolitic
c. banded
b. oolitic
a term used to describe a vesicle in a volcanic rock that is filled with secondary minerals
a. concretions
b. geode
c. massive
d. amygdaloidal
d. amygdaloidal
rock cavity lined by a mineral mater but not wholly filled.
a. concretions
b. geode
c. massive
d. amygdaloidal
b. geode
compact material without form or distinguishing features.
a. concretions
b. geode
c. massive
d. amygdaloidal
c. massive
masses formed by deposition of materials about a nucleus
a. concretions
b. geode
c. massive
d. amygdaloidal
a. concretions
- relatively hard, dense, and refractory
- generally occur as accessory minerals in igneous and metamorphic rocks and as resistant detrital grains in sediments
a. native minerals
b. sulfides
c. oxides
c. oxides
constitute 3 groups: gold, platinum, iron
a. native minerals
b. sulfides
c. oxides
a. native minerals
- Includes the majority of ore minerals
- most are opaque with distinctive colors and characteristically colored streaks
a. native minerals
b. sulfides
c. oxides
b. sulfides
the most common mineral group (~25% of known minerals and ~40% of the common ones)
a. carbonates
b. phosphates
c. sulfates
d. silicates
d. silicates
- composed of the carbonate ionCO22- and one or more kinds of positive ions
a. carbonates
b. phosphates
c. sulfates
d. silicates
a. carbonates
- characterized by PO43-
- E.g. Apatite Ca5(PO4)3(F,Cl,OH)
a. carbonates
b. phosphates
c. sulfates
d. silicates
b. phosphates
characterized by presence of SO4 (e.g. anhydrite CaSO4, barite BaSO4)
a. carbonates
b. phosphates
c. sulfates
d. silicates
c. sulfates
