MINERALS

Identification of minerals

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Generally the best way to identify a mineral is by constructing a flow chart. A flow chart can be constructed in many different ways, below is an one example:

How to use a flowchart Video 1

How to use a flowchart Video 2

See the flowchart below: the first property to be tested is hardness. Once we have determined the hardness of a mineral then we have three paths to go: hard, intermediate, and soft. Once the hardness is determined, the next test would be the streak. Determine whether the streak has some color, whether is white, or if there is no streak at all. Again we have three different paths, once we have determined which path to go the next test would be to test for cleavage and see whether the mineral cleaves or if it fractures, then once one of the path is determined the final path that will lead us to the name of the mineral is the bulk color of the mineral specimen. This is how we use the flowchart to determine and idenify the unkown mineral.

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