Common minerals

Question 1

Gold colour - hard, cubic, whiter gold

Answer 1

Pyrite

Question 2

Gold colour - soft, duller gold

Answer 2

Chalcopyrite

Question 3

Grey colour - very heavy, soft, cubic

Answer 3

Galena

Question 4

Grey colour - very soft, marks paper

Answer 4

Graphite

Question 5

Dark - reddish streak

Answer 5

Hematite

Question 6

Dark - yellowish streak

Answer 6

Limonite

Question 7

Magnetic

Answer 7

Magnetite

Question 8

Light coloured and harder than knife + no cleavage

Answer 8

Quartz

Question 9

Light coloured and harder than knife + 2x90 cleavage

Answer 9

Feldspar

Question 10

Light coloured and harder than knife + 2x90 cleavage and surface striations

Answer 10

Plagioclase

Question 11

Light coloured and harder than knife + 2x90 cleavage and no surface striations

Answer 11

Orthoclase

Question 12

Light coloured and softer than knife + flakey sheets

Answer 12

Muscovite

Question 13

Light coloured and softer than knife + not flakey and dissolves in HCl

Answer 13

Calcite

Question 14

Light coloured and softer than thumbnail + soapy feel

Answer 14

Talc

Question 15

Light coloured and softer than thumbnail + not soapy feel and has cleavage

Answer 15

Gypsum

Question 16

Light coloured and softer than thumbnail + not soapy and fizzes in HCl

Answer 16

Chalk

Question 17

Light coloured and softer than thumbnail + not soapy, no fizz, no cleavage

Answer 17

Clays