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Is the mineral reactive or nonreactive when exposed to other compounds? For example, minerals with calcium carbonate composition typically fizz when exposed to a weak acid. Associated rock type; With what rock type and/or other minerals is this mineral found? Degree of metamorphism and alteration; Mineral shape, properties or form been altered.
The lack of crystal habit, associated with color, is also useful for identification, as are associated minerals. A pink-red mineral with no good crystals associated with other alkaline igneous material, especially nepheline and aegirine, is a good indication a specimen is eudialyte. Iron (Fe 2+) provides the color. [7]
Among most minerals, this property is not diagnostic. Rock forming minerals – typically silicates or occasionally carbonates – have a specific gravity of 2.5–3.5. [88] High specific gravity is a diagnostic property of a mineral. A variation in chemistry (and consequently, mineral class) correlates to a change in specific gravity.
Cleavage is a physical property traditionally used in mineral identification, both in hand-sized specimen and microscopic examination of rock and mineral studies. As an example, the angles between the prismatic cleavage planes for the pyroxenes (88–92°) and the amphiboles (56–124°) are diagnostic.
Streak plates with pyrite (left) and rhodochrosite (right). The streak of a mineral is the color of the powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. Unlike the apparent color of a mineral, which for most minerals can vary considerably, the trail of finely ground powder generally has a more consistent characteristic color, and is thus an important diagnostic tool in mineral ...
Each mineral has a classification number, made up of four numbers separated by dots, enabling unambiguous identification even when minerals are known by several names (synonymy). The first number represents the mineral class. The second number represents the mineral type, in some cases taking into account its atomic structure.
Within a mineral species there may be variation in physical properties or minor amounts of impurities that are recognized by mineralogists or wider society as a mineral variety. The International Mineralogical Association (IMA) is the international scientific group that recognises new minerals and new mineral names. However, minerals discovered ...
Systematic mineralogy is the identification and classification of minerals by their properties. Historically, mineralogy was heavily concerned with taxonomy of the rock-forming minerals. In 1959, the International Mineralogical Association formed the Commission of New Minerals and Mineral Names to rationalize the nomenclature and regulate the ...