geology minerals identification

Even geologists can have a difficult time identifying minerals. There are over 4,000 known minerals, and approximately 80-100 new ones are discovered each year. Of all these, only a few hundred are considered common.To help with identification, geologists must look closely at the physical properties of a mineral. These properties can include: color, streak, hardness, cleavage, specific gravity, crystal form, and others.Color Some minerals can be recognized by their color: azurite is always a deep blue and malachite is green. Generally, color alone is not the best tool in identification because color can be highly variable. Some minerals can occur in a variety of different colors due to impurities in the chemical makeup of the mineral. For example, calcite is commonly white, but can be blue, brown, yellow, orange, red, gray to black, or colorless.Luster Luster refers to the brightness of light reflected from the mineral’s surface. The main types of luster are metallic and nonmetallic. Some of the more important nonmetallic lusters are: Adamantine: brilliant, like that of a diamond, Vitreous: the appearance of broken glass, like quartz.

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