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- Color
- -- this varies depending on the chemicals present and is the least informative in identifying a mineral variety
- Luster
- -- what the surface looks like in the light
- Specific Gravity
- -- how heavy it feels, heft
- Crystal Form
- -- shape of crystal, shape the mineral would take if it had room to grow in a cavity, not massive -- some minerals have a number of different crystal shapes
- Cleavage
- -- pattern when mineral is broken -- in planes or conchoidal
- Fracture
- Tenacity - toughness, how cohesive the mineral is, if it falls apart
- Hardness
- -- what it can scratch & what scratches it
- Transparency
- - The ability to transmit light. Depending on a number of things, rocks & minerals can also transmit light. Many rocks that are opaque when in a chunk, are translucent when cut into very thin slices. Gems stones are often valued on how clear, or transparent they are.
Wiki User
∙ 12y ago
Wiki User
∙ 12y agoThis is the common method for determining mineral types
Color
Luster
Streak
Hardness
Cleavage
Specific Gravity
Crystal Form
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Is the sorcerers stone a rock or mineral?
its a rock but it has certain characteristics of magical minerals
What are four characteristics of mineral which can be used to identify it?
Color, streak color, hardness, cleavage, and chemical.
Why is gold a mineral?
Gold follows all characteristics of mineral First: Its inorganic Second: It occurs naturally Third: Its a solid crystallized form Fourth: It has consistent chemical composition Fifth: It forms crystals
How would you test a mineral to find out what it is?
Begin by taking a look at the mineral's color, Examine the mineral and take note of its surface features,Get out the materials needed for the hardness test (see Things You'll need), The number is the hardness, followed by the characteristics of a mineral of that hardness and an example, Next find out your mineral's luster,Now for the streak test, You can also identify a mineral by the way it breaks. If it breaks along a smooth, flat surface (such as mica), it has cleavage. If your mineral breaks along rough, jagged surfaces, it has fracture. Thats all you need to do.
Is metamorphic a type of mineral?
Metamorphic is a group of rocks with similar characteristics. There are minerals in the rocks so they could be considered made of minerals but they are not minerals themselves.
What characteristiscs do minerals have to have to be a mineral?
Minerals have to have these five characteristics. The five characteristics are solid, crystal structure, chemical composition, made by nature, and inorganic.Those are five characteristics a mineral are required to have to be a mineral.
5 characteristics of a mineral?
no
Do some alien races have mineral-based characteristics?
Some alien races could have mineral based characteristics, if they exist.
Characteristics of a mineral to an ore mineral?
A mineral that is useful and economically viable to extract and purify is an ore.
What are the mineral characteristics?
ore,coal
What are the five characteristics of a rock that would make it a mineral?
Five physical characteristics of a mineral are: hardness, luster, diaphaneity, colour, and streak.
What is the major difference between mineral characteristics and mineral properties?
you are steank okay
What characteristics make a mineral a gem?
The crystallization
Light reflecting and transmission characteristics of a mineral?
The characteristic of a mineral that reflects light is called luster. Diaphaneity or transparency is the characteristics that allow the transmission of light.
How reliable is color when determining what a mineral is?
Color is the least reliable of a mineral's characteristics used in its identification.
How many characteristics are used to define something as a mineral?
I am awesome
Describes the light reflecting and transmission characteristics of a mineral?
Luster
