1. Natural means it is made in nature and is not manmade.
2. Inorganic means that It has not been living (like plants or animals).
3. Elements are the chemical composition of the minerals. Each mineral will contain the same types and quantities of the element.
Minerals can be identified by their physical properties that include the following: Hardness, Color, Luster, Streak, Cleavage and Fracture. By identifying two or three of a mineral's physical properties, you can usually name the mineral. Any basic book on minerals will list the most common mineral along with their physical properties. Over 3000 different minerals have been identified on the earth, of which only 200 are common minerals.
HARDNESS:
Hardness is one of the best properties used in identifying minerals. A mineral that can scratch another is the harder of the two. On this basis, a hardness scale (the MOHS Scale) has been set up, ranging from one to ten, with one being the softest and ten the hardest.
MOHS Hardness Scale
1. Talc (softest)
2. Gypsum Fingernail: 2-3
3. Calcite Penny: 3-4
4. Fluorite Knife: 4.5
5. Apatite Window Glass: 5
6. Orthoclase feldspar Nail: 6
7. Quartz
8. Topaz
9. Corundum
10. Diamond
To determine the hardness of a mineral, start by trying to scratch it with your fingernail. If you can scratch it, the mineral is softer than the 2-3 range. If not, try a copper penny. Repeat the test until the unknown mineral hardness can be determined. You can purchase a "MOHS Hardness Scale Kit” to help determine hardness, but this is not necessary.
COLOR:
Color is one of three characteristics that have to do with the way a mineral looks. Color is useful in identifying metallic ores, but impurities in minerals may cause non-metallic minerals to have various colors. Quartz can be almost any color.
LUSTER:
There are several ways to describe a mineral's Luster such as Earthy, Vitreous, Pearly, Resinous, Greasy, Silky, Adamantine and Metallic. In beginning Geology, it's best just to work with METALLIC or NONMETALLIC when describing luster. A metallic luster is usually shiny and looks like metal. Pyrite and Galena are excellent examples of minerals having a metallic luster. Nonmetallic minerals do not shine and are dull in appearance.
STREAK:
Streak is the color that the mineral leaves when it is scratched on a piece of unglazed tile or porcelain. When pyrite is scratched across the tile, a black streak is left on the tile. Most minerals will leave a streak as long as they are softer than the piece of tile. A mineral which is harder than the tile streak plate simply rubs or cuts into its surface and leaves a white powder from the tile.
The last two physical properties have to do with the way minerals break.
CLEAVAGE:
Some minerals are said to cleave or have cleavage when they break in definite directions parallel to crystal faces, along smooth surfaces. Cleavage is an excellent aid in the identification of minerals. Certain minerals such as Mica always break along their cleavage plane. The minerals Gypsum and Calcite, which are common in Kansas, have excellent cleavage. Cleavage is sometime confused with a mineral's crystal structure. All minerals have definite crystal structures when allowed to develop or grow in unrestricted environment such as a cave or a geode. However, most minerals are formed in restricted environments and consist of aggregates of crystals that are very poorly developed. If these minerals are broken and tend to break along flat surfaces, which are in effect along their crystal faces, the mineral is said to have cleavage.
FRACTURE:
Fracture is the breakage of a mineral specimen in some other way than along cleavage lines. When the mineral fractures in a series of arcs it is known as conchoidal fracturing. Quartz and chert do this.
TRANSPARENCY:
Transparency refers to the amount of light that passes through an object.
Opaque means that no light passes through the object.
Transparent means that light passes through the object and other objects can be seen through it.
Translucent means that some light passes through the object, but other objects cannot be seen through it.
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION:
Minerals are further identified and classified by their chemical compositions. With the exception of native elements, all other minerals are combinations of elements.
Native Elements
Minerals found in nature in their native state; not combined with other elements. About 20 of these exist, including gold and silver. Sulfur is the only one common in Kansas.
Sulfides
Simple compounds of one or more metallic elements with sulfur. Many sulfide minerals are valuable ores. Galena, sphalerite, pyrite, and marcasite are some of the sulfide minerals found in Kansas.
Oxides
Natural compounds in which oxygen is combined with one or more metals. They tend to be harder than most other minerals (except silicates), and they are generally heavier (except sulfides). Hematite, ilmenite, pyrolusite, magnetite, and limonite are some of the oxides founds in Kansas.
Halides
Compounds characterized by atoms of a chemical group called halogens. They are usually soft minerals. Halite (salt) is the only common halide in Kansas.
Carbonates
Complex compounds of one or more metallic elements with the carbonate radical. They are brittle and many break easily, exhibiting rhombohedral cleavage. Calcite, the chief mineral in many limestones, is the most common carbonate mineral in Kansas. Aragonite, dolomite, malachite, siderite, and others may also be collected.
Sulfates
Compounds of sulfur, oxygen, and at least one other element. These are soft minerals, and very common. Gypsum, anhydrite, celestite, and barite are found at numerous sites in Kansas.
Silicates
Compounds containing silicon and oxygen at a minimum, and often combined with additional elements. This is the largest and most common class of minerals. Quartz (SiO2) is the most common of all minerals. Mica, opal, and feldspar, as well as other silicate minerals, are found in Kansas.
Others
There are other classifications of minerals based on chemical composition, but they are not listed here because they are not commonly found in Kansas.
2. Inorganic means that It has not been living (like plants or animals).
3. Elements are the chemical composition of the minerals. Each mineral will contain the same types and quantities of the element.
Minerals can be identified by their physical properties that include the following: Hardness, Color, Luster, Streak, Cleavage and Fracture. By identifying two or three of a mineral's physical properties, you can usually name the mineral. Any basic book on minerals will list the most common mineral along with their physical properties. Over 3000 different minerals have been identified on the earth, of which only 200 are common minerals.
HARDNESS:
Hardness is one of the best properties used in identifying minerals. A mineral that can scratch another is the harder of the two. On this basis, a hardness scale (the MOHS Scale) has been set up, ranging from one to ten, with one being the softest and ten the hardest.
MOHS Hardness Scale
1. Talc (softest)
2. Gypsum Fingernail: 2-3
3. Calcite Penny: 3-4
4. Fluorite Knife: 4.5
5. Apatite Window Glass: 5
6. Orthoclase feldspar Nail: 6
7. Quartz
8. Topaz
9. Corundum
10. Diamond
To determine the hardness of a mineral, start by trying to scratch it with your fingernail. If you can scratch it, the mineral is softer than the 2-3 range. If not, try a copper penny. Repeat the test until the unknown mineral hardness can be determined. You can purchase a "MOHS Hardness Scale Kit” to help determine hardness, but this is not necessary.
COLOR:
Color is one of three characteristics that have to do with the way a mineral looks. Color is useful in identifying metallic ores, but impurities in minerals may cause non-metallic minerals to have various colors. Quartz can be almost any color.
LUSTER:
There are several ways to describe a mineral's Luster such as Earthy, Vitreous, Pearly, Resinous, Greasy, Silky, Adamantine and Metallic. In beginning Geology, it's best just to work with METALLIC or NONMETALLIC when describing luster. A metallic luster is usually shiny and looks like metal. Pyrite and Galena are excellent examples of minerals having a metallic luster. Nonmetallic minerals do not shine and are dull in appearance.
STREAK:
Streak is the color that the mineral leaves when it is scratched on a piece of unglazed tile or porcelain. When pyrite is scratched across the tile, a black streak is left on the tile. Most minerals will leave a streak as long as they are softer than the piece of tile. A mineral which is harder than the tile streak plate simply rubs or cuts into its surface and leaves a white powder from the tile.
The last two physical properties have to do with the way minerals break.
CLEAVAGE:
Some minerals are said to cleave or have cleavage when they break in definite directions parallel to crystal faces, along smooth surfaces. Cleavage is an excellent aid in the identification of minerals. Certain minerals such as Mica always break along their cleavage plane. The minerals Gypsum and Calcite, which are common in Kansas, have excellent cleavage. Cleavage is sometime confused with a mineral's crystal structure. All minerals have definite crystal structures when allowed to develop or grow in unrestricted environment such as a cave or a geode. However, most minerals are formed in restricted environments and consist of aggregates of crystals that are very poorly developed. If these minerals are broken and tend to break along flat surfaces, which are in effect along their crystal faces, the mineral is said to have cleavage.
FRACTURE:
Fracture is the breakage of a mineral specimen in some other way than along cleavage lines. When the mineral fractures in a series of arcs it is known as conchoidal fracturing. Quartz and chert do this.
TRANSPARENCY:
Transparency refers to the amount of light that passes through an object.
Opaque means that no light passes through the object.
Transparent means that light passes through the object and other objects can be seen through it.
Translucent means that some light passes through the object, but other objects cannot be seen through it.
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION:
Minerals are further identified and classified by their chemical compositions. With the exception of native elements, all other minerals are combinations of elements.
Native Elements
Minerals found in nature in their native state; not combined with other elements. About 20 of these exist, including gold and silver. Sulfur is the only one common in Kansas.
Sulfides
Simple compounds of one or more metallic elements with sulfur. Many sulfide minerals are valuable ores. Galena, sphalerite, pyrite, and marcasite are some of the sulfide minerals found in Kansas.
Oxides
Natural compounds in which oxygen is combined with one or more metals. They tend to be harder than most other minerals (except silicates), and they are generally heavier (except sulfides). Hematite, ilmenite, pyrolusite, magnetite, and limonite are some of the oxides founds in Kansas.
Halides
Compounds characterized by atoms of a chemical group called halogens. They are usually soft minerals. Halite (salt) is the only common halide in Kansas.
Carbonates
Complex compounds of one or more metallic elements with the carbonate radical. They are brittle and many break easily, exhibiting rhombohedral cleavage. Calcite, the chief mineral in many limestones, is the most common carbonate mineral in Kansas. Aragonite, dolomite, malachite, siderite, and others may also be collected.
Sulfates
Compounds of sulfur, oxygen, and at least one other element. These are soft minerals, and very common. Gypsum, anhydrite, celestite, and barite are found at numerous sites in Kansas.
Silicates
Compounds containing silicon and oxygen at a minimum, and often combined with additional elements. This is the largest and most common class of minerals. Quartz (SiO2) is the most common of all minerals. Mica, opal, and feldspar, as well as other silicate minerals, are found in Kansas.
Others
There are other classifications of minerals based on chemical composition, but they are not listed here because they are not commonly found in Kansas.