Mineral Identification

Quartz

Group: Silicates
Hardness: 7
Color: White, Gray, Brown, Yellow, Pink, Purple
Cleavage: None
Luster: Vitreous - Pearly
Streak: None
Other: Crystal-like, Conchoidal Fracture

Orthoclase

Group: Silicates
Hardness: 6
Color: Pink, white, blue, gray
Cleavage: 2 planes at 90
Luster: Vitreous - Pearly
Streak: White
Other: Type of feldspar, potassium feldspar, "K-spar"

Plagioclase

Group: Silicates
Hardness: 6
Color: White, colorless
Cleavage: 2 planes at 90
Luster: Vitreous - Pearly
Streak: White
Other: Type of feldspar, albite twinning

Biotite

Group: Silicates
Hardness: 2.5-3
Color: Black/dark brown
Cleavage: 1 Perfect Plane
Luster: Vitreous - Shiny
Streak: White/gray
Other: Black mica, basal cleavage

Muscovite

Group: Silicates
Hardness: 2-2.5
Color: Yellow, colorless
Cleavage: 1 Perfect Plane
Luster: Vitreous - Shiny
Streak: White/gray
Other: White mica, basal cleavage

Hornblende

Group: Silicates
Hardness: 5-6
Color: Dark black or green
Cleavage: 2 Planes at 60/120
Luster: Shiny
Streak: Gray/green/none
Other: Amphibole group

Pyroxene

Group: Silicates
Hardness: 5-6
Color: Dark black or green
Cleavage: 2 planes at 90
Luster: Dull
Streak: Gray/green/none
Other: Pyroxene group

Olivine

Group: Silicates
Hardness: 6.5-7
Color: Olive green
Cleavage: None
Luster: Dull - Vitreous
Streak: None
Other: Conchoidal fracture

Galena

Group: Metals
Hardness: 2.5
Color: Bright silvery gray
Cleavage: 3 planes at 90
Luster: Metallic
Streak: Dark gray
Other: Lead ore

Chalcopyrite

Group: Metals
Hardness: 3.5-4
Color: Brassy Yellow
Cleavage: None
Luster: Slightly Metallic
Streak: Greenish Black
Other: Copper Ore

Pyrrhotite

Group: Metals
Hardness: 3.5-4.5
Color: Bronzy
Cleavage: None
Luster: Slightly Metallic
Streak: Greenish Black
Other: Magnetic

Pyrite

Group: Metals
Hardness: 6-6.5
Color: Brassy-yellow, gold
Cleavage: None
Luster: Bright metallic
Streak: Greenish Black
Other: "Fool's Gold"

Magnetite

Group: Metals
Hardness: 5.5-6.5
Color: Dark Gray/Black
Cleavage: None
Luster: Dull
Streak: Black
Other: Magnetic

Hematite

Group: Metals
Hardness: 5.5-6.5
Color: Reddish Brown, Black
Cleavage: None
Luster: Dull
Streak: Red-Brown
Other: Rust-iron ore

Halite

Group: Evaporites/Biogenics
Hardness: 2.5
Color: Colorless, Gray/Smoky
Cleavage: 3 Planes
Luster: Vitreous
Streak: None
Other: Tastes salty

Calcite

Group: Evaporites/Biogenics
Hardness: 3
Color: White/Pink/Gray/Yellow/Colorless
Cleavage: 3 Planes at 60/120
Luster: Vitreous - Transparent
Streak: None
Other: Reacts with acid

Gypsum

Group: Evaporites/Biogenics
Hardness: 2
Color: White, Gray
Cleavage: 1 good (2 poor)
Luster: Pearly
Streak: White/None
Other: Evaporite - hydrated, tabular crystals

Anhydrite

Group: Evaporites/Biogenics
Hardness: 3-3.5
Color: White, Gray, Reddish
Cleavage: 3 Planes at 90
Luster: Pearly
Streak: None
Other: Evaporite (gypsum w/o water)

Serpentine

Group: Metamorphic
Hardness: 2.5-5
Color: Light/Dark Shades of Green
Cleavage: None
Luster: Greasy/Waxy
Streak: None
Other: May see fiberous structure

Epidote

Group: Metamorphic
Hardness: 6-7
Color: Yellow-Green
Cleavage: 1
Luster: Dull - Vitreous
Streak: None
Other: Common to appear with feldspar and quartz

Talc

Group: Metamorphic
Hardness: 1
Color: White, Greenish-White
Cleavage: 1
Luster: Greasy/Dull
Streak: White
Other: Never occurs in distinct crystals

Graphite

Group: Metamorphic
Hardness: 1-2
Color: Silvery, Gray
Cleavage: 1
Luster: Dull/Greasy
Streak: Black
Other: Used for pencils

Chlorite

Group: Metamorphic
Hardness: 2-2.5
Color: Light to dark green
Cleavage: 1
Luster: Dull - Slightly Shiny
Streak: None
Other: Similar to mica