Mineral Identification Vocabulary Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering key mineral identification properties, sample numbers, mineral set numbers, and visual specimens from the lab notes.

dolomite

NOVA sample 08, Mineral Set 26. Properties: Hardness: 3.5-4; Color: colorless, white, grey, cream or pink; Shape: rhombohedral; Accessory: reacts with HCl when powdered.

albite (plagioclase feldspar)

NOVA sample 10, Mineral Set 28. Properties: Hardness: 6; Color: white or pale grey; Cleavage: 2 planes (~90°); Accessory: may exhibit striations.

hornblende (amphibole)

NOVA sample 11, Mineral Set 27. Properties: Hardness: 5.5-6; Color: dark grey to black; Cleavage: 2 planes (124° and 56°); Accessory: breaks into blades.

biotite

NOVA sample 13, Mineral Set 24. Properties: Hardness: 2.5-3; Color: black (opaque); Cleavage: 1 plane (splits along thin sheets); Accessory: glassy luster.

calcite

NOVA sample 14, Mineral Set 3, 19, 25. Properties: Hardness: 3; Color: colorless, white, yellow, green, pink, brown, blue; Cleavage: 3 planes (breaks into rhombohedrons); Accessory: effervesces in dilute HCl.

chalcopyrite

NOVA sample 18, Mineral Set 12. Properties: Hardness: 3.5-4; Color: bright silvery gold/bronze/iridescent blue; Cleavage: no cleavage; Accessory: dense masses or elongate tetrahedrons.

orthoclase (potassium feldspar, K-spar)

NOVA sample 20, Mineral Set 6, 10. Properties: Hardness: 6; Color: orange, brown, white, green, or pink; Cleavage: 2 planes (90°); Accessory: subparallel exsolution lamellae.

fluorite

NOVA sample 22, Mineral Set 4. Properties: Hardness: 4; Color: purple, blue, grey, green, or yellow; Cleavage: 4 planes; Accessory: crystals usually cubes.

galena

NOVA sample 24, Mineral Set -. Properties: Hardness: 2.5; Color: bright silvery grey; Cleavage: 3 planes; Accessory: specific gravity 7.4-7.6, cubes/octahedrons.

garnet

NOVA sample 26, Mineral Set 32. Properties: Hardness: 7; Color: usually red, black, or brown (yellow, green); Cleavage: no cleavage; Accessory: shape dodecahedrons.

graphite

NOVA sample 27, Mineral Set 34. Properties: Hardness: 1; Color: dark silvery grey to black; Cleavage: 1 cleavage (excellent); Accessory: greasy texture, easily makes a dark mark.

halite

NOVA sample 28, Mineral Set 18. Properties: Hardness: 2.5; Color: colorless, white, yellow, blue, brown, or red; Cleavage: 3 cleavage planes (excellent); Accessory: cubic shape, tastes salty.

hematite

NOVA sample 30, Mineral Set 15. Properties: Hardness: 1-6; Color: silvery grey, reddish silver, black, brick red; Cleavage: no cleavage planes; Accessory: red to red-brown streak.

magnetite

NOVA sample 38, Mineral Set 13. Properties: Hardness: 6-6.5; Color: silvery grey to black, opaque; Cleavage: no cleavage planes; Accessory: octahedrons, attracted to a magnet.

muscovite

NOVA sample 40, Mineral Set 23. Properties: Hardness: 2-2.5; Color: colorless, yellow, brown, or red-brown; Cleavage: 1 cleavage plane (excellent); Accessory: separates into thin, flexible, transparent sheets.

olivine

NOVA sample 42, Mineral Set 30. Properties: Hardness: 5.5-7; Color: pale or dark olive green to yellow or brown; Cleavage: no cleavage planes; Accessory: conchoidal fracture.

pyrite

NOVA sample 44, Mineral Set 22. Properties: Hardness: 6-6.5; Color: silvery gold; Cleavage: no cleavage planes; Accessory: cubic shape.

augite (pyroxene)

NOVA sample 46, Mineral Set 31. Properties: Hardness: 5.5-6; Color: dark green, brown to black; Cleavage: 2 cleavage planes (~90°); Accessory: blocky shape.

rose quartz

NOVA sample 48, Mineral Set 17. Properties: Hardness: 7; Color: pink; Cleavage: no cleavage planes; Accessory: conchoidal fracture.

quartz

NOVA sample 58, Mineral Set 7. Properties: Hardness: 7; Color: colorless, white, or grey (can be highly variable); Cleavage: no cleavage planes; Accessory: conchoidal fracture.

talc

NOVA sample 70, Mineral Set 1. Properties: Hardness: 1; Color: white, grey, pale green, or brown; Cleavage: no cleavage planes; Accessory: cryptocrystalline masses, greasy/soapy texture.

gypsum

NOVA sample 105, Mineral Set 2. Properties: Hardness: 2; Color: colorless, white, or grey; Cleavage: 3 cleavage planes (only 1 good); Accessory: transparent to translucent, very soft.

corundum

NOVA sample –, Mineral Set 9. Properties: Hardness: 9; Color: grey, white, black, or colored (red, blue, brown, yellow); Cleavage: no cleavage planes; Accessory: hexagonal prisms with flat striated ends.

Limonite

NOVA sample –, 36 Mineral Set. Properties: Hardness: variable 4-5.5; Color: yellow, orange; Cleavage: no cleavage planes; Accessory: powdery texture, yellow streak.

Chalcedony (cryptocrystalline quartz)

NOVA sample –, 50 Mineral Set. Properties: Hardness: variable 6.5 - 7; Color: highly variable; Cleavage: no cleavage planes, conchoidal fracture; Accessory: waxy or vitreous luster.