Practice Quiz Mineral Identification

Introduction

Mineral identification is done by checking for certain mineral properties or characteristics. Minerals are inorganic compounds that occur naturally in the earth. Elements such as silicon, magnesium, aluminum, calcium and iron form special combinations that have particular characteristics that identify them, just as organs and tissues combine from cells in special ways to form different plants and animals.

The various minerals can be classified according to similar characteristics. Scientists called mineralogists consider the following characteristics for mineral identification:

• Streak
• Luster
• Sheen
• Hardness
• Cleavage
• Crystal system/habit

• Color (although by itself, this is not a reliable characteristic)
• Specific Gravity
• Clarity or Transparency

Minerals can be tested according to each characteristic and reasonable identification can be made. With practice, many minerals can be identified solely by visual characteristics. The only absolute test, however, is to determine the chemical composition and the manner in which the chemicals came together to form the mineral. In order to do this, some simple tools are helpful.

This quiz is a practice quiz to assess your ability to identify minerals using a variety of mineral properties. 

Directions

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