EATH AND LIFE SCIENCE

1. E A R T H & L I F E
S C I E N C E
PROPERTIES OF
MINERALS
Prepared by: Hanzel G.

2. OBJECTIVES
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5. WHAT ARE
MINERALS?

6. CHARACTERISTICS
OF MINERALS

7. PROPERTI ES OF MI NERAL
(PHYSICAL)
– mineral’s color may
change depending on the surface.
Color maybe unreliable for
identification as impurities within
the minerals may give the
minerals a different color.

8. PROPERTI ES OF MI NERAL
(PHYSICAL)
– color of mineral in
powdered form.
Streak is a better diagnostic
property as compared to color.
Streak is inherent to almost
every mineral.

9. PROPERTI ES OF MI NERAL
(PHYSICAL)
– minerals resistance to
scratching
- the use of a hardness scale designed
by German geologist/mineralogist
Friedrich Mohs in 1812 (Mohs Scale of
Hardness).

10. PROPERTI ES OF MI NERAL
(PHYSICAL)
4. Cleavage
– mineral’s resistance to being
broken and fracture
- When minerals break evenly in
more than one direction, cleavage is
described by the number of cleavage
directions and the angle(s) between planes
(e.g. cleavage in 2 directions at 90 degrees
to each other).

11. PROPERTI ES OF MI NERAL
(PHYSICAL)
Fracture
– Some minerals may not have
cleavages but exhibit broken surfaces that
are irregular and non-planar.
- Quartz for example has an
inherent weakness in the crystal structure
that is not planar.
- Examples of fracture are
conchoidal, fibrous, hackly, and uneven
among others.

12. PROPERTI ES OF MI NERAL
(PHYSICAL)
5. Crystal Form/Habit-
–The external shape of a crystal or
groups of crystals is displayed / observed as
these crystals grow in open spaces.
- It is the natural shape of the mineral
before the development of any cleavage or
fracture.
- A mineral that do not have a crystal
structure is described as amorphous.

13. PROPERTI ES OF MI NERAL
(PHYSICAL)
6. Diaphaneity/amount of
transparency
- ability to allow light to
pass through it. This is affected
by chemical makeup of the
mineral sample.

14. PROPERTIES OF MINERAL
(PHYSI CAL)
7. Luster - how light is reflected off a
surface of a mineral
a. Metallic – generally opaque and
exhibit a resplendent shine similar to a
polished metal.
b. Non-metallic – vitreous (glassy),
adamantine (brilliant/diamond-like),
resinous, silky, pearly, dull (earthy),
greasy, etc.

15. PROPERTI ES OF MI NERAL
(PHYSICAL)
8. Tenacity - describes the minerals reaction to
stress.
a) Brittleness- a mineral turns into powder
b) Malleability a mineral can be flattened by
pounding with a hammer.
c) Ductility- A mineral can be stretched into wire.
d) Flexible but inelastic-Minerals are bent but
they remain in the new position.
e) Flexible and elastic- Minerals are bent, and
they bring back to their original position.

16. PROPERTI ES OF MI NERAL
(PHYSICAL)
f. Sectility
- ability of minerals to be
sliced by a knife

28. P E R F O R M A N C E TA S K

29. P E R F O R M A N C E TA S K