What are the 4 properties of minerals?

What are the 4 properties of minerals?

Most minerals can be characterized and classified by their unique physical properties: hardness, luster, color, streak, specific gravity, cleavage, fracture, and tenacity.

What are the 4 types of minerals?

A basic classification for minerals is:

• Native elements. eg. Gold, Silver, Mercury, graphite, diamond.
• Oxides. eg corundum (incl. sapphire), hematite, spinel.
• Hydroxides. eg. Goethite, brucite.
• Sulfides. eg. Pyrite, galena, sphalerite.
• Sulfates. eg. Baryte, gypsum.
• Carbonates. eg.
• Phosphates. eg.
• Halides. eg.

How many properties of minerals are there?

These four properties (luster, color, diaphaneity, and shape) are basic for mineral identification. Other properties including streak (the color of a mineral when powdered), the way a mineral breaks (cleavage, parting, fracture), and hardness are also common keys to identification.

What are the 18 properties of minerals?

We will first discuss each of the physical properties that can be used, then develop a methodical approach to the identification of minerals using these physical properties. Among the properties we will discuss are: crystal habit, cleavage, hardness, density, luster, streak, color, tenacity, magnetism, and taste.

What are the 10 properties of minerals?

Properties of Minerals

• Color.
• Streak.
• Hardness.
• Cleavage or Fracture.
• Crystalline Structure.
• Diaphaneity or Amount of Transparency.
• Tenacity.
• Magnetism.

What are the two major properties of minerals?

A mineral species is defined by two distinct properties: (1) its chemical com- position and (2) its crystal structure. Each mineral has a distinct three- dimensional array of its constituent atoms. This regular geometry affects its physical properties such as cleavage and hardness.

What are the 2 main types of minerals?

There are two kinds of minerals: macrominerals and trace minerals. You need larger amounts of macrominerals. They include calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, potassium, chloride and sulfur. You only need small amounts of trace minerals.

What is the general categorization of minerals?

Mineralogists group minerals into families based on their chemical composition. The Dana system divides minerals into eight basic classes. The classes are: native elements, silicates, oxides, sulfides, sulfates, halides, carbonates, phosphates, and mineraloids.

What are the 5 characteristics of minerals?

A mineral has 5 characteristics, naturally occurring, solid, inorganic, crystalline structure, and the same chemical composition throughout So repeat after me A mineral is Naturally occurring-naturally occurring Inorganic solid-inorganic solid Crystalline structure The same chemical composition throughout.

What are the 7 major minerals?

They include calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, potassium, chloride and sulfur. You only need small amounts of trace minerals.

What are the 7 classes of minerals?

The major classes of minerals are:

• silicates.
• sulfides.
• carbonates.
• oxides.
• halides.
• sulfates.
• phosphates.
• native elements.

What are the seven properties of minerals?

The seven physical properties of minerals are: Crystal form. Hardness. Fracture or cleavage. Luster. Color. Streak. Density.

What are properties used to identify minerals?

There are a number of properties that are used to identify and define minerals, but the most recognizable properties and the ones that are also most commonly used include color, hardness, luster, streak, crystalline structure, and cleavage. Other properties that are sometimes used include odor, taste, and magnetism.

What do mineral properties depend on?

The physical properties of a mineral depend on the kind of atoms it is composed of and, more critically, the way these atoms fit together to form the mineral’s crystal structure.