How to Identify Rocks and Minerals fluorite calcite epidote quartz gypsum pyrite copper fluorite galena By Jan C. Rasmussen (Revised from a booklet by Susan Celestian) 2012 Donations for reproduction from: Freeport McMoRan Copper & Gold Foundation Friends of the Arizona Mining & Mineral Museum Wickenburg Gem & Mineral Society www.janrasmussen.com ii NUMERICAL LIST OF ROCKS & MINERALS IN KIT See final pages of book for color photographs of rocks and minerals. MINERALS: IGNEOUS ROCKS: 1 Talc 2 Gypsum 50 Apache Tear 3 Calcite 51 Basalt 4 Fluorite 52 Pumice 5 Apatite* 53 Perlite 6 Orthoclase (feldspar group) 54 Obsidian 7 Quartz 55 Tuff 8 Topaz* 56 Rhyolite 9 Corundum* 57 Granite 10 Diamond* 11 Chrysocolla (blue) 12 Azurite (dark blue) METAMORPHIC ROCKS: 13 Quartz, var. chalcedony 14 Chalcopyrite (brassy) 60 Quartzite* 15 Barite 61 Schist 16 Galena (metallic) 62 Marble 17 Hematite 63 Slate* 18 Garnet 64 Gneiss 19 Magnetite 65 Metaconglomerate* 20 Serpentine 66 Phyllite 21 Malachite (green) (20) (Serpentinite)* 22 Muscovite (mica group) 23 Bornite (peacock tarnish) 24 Halite (table salt) SEDIMENTARY ROCKS: 25 Cuprite 26 Limonite (Goethite) 70 Sandstone 27 Pyrite (brassy) 71 Limestone 28 Peridot 72 Travertine (onyx) 29 Gold* 73 Conglomerate 30 Copper (refined) 74 Breccia 31 Glauberite pseudomorph 75 Shale 32 Sulfur 76 Silicified Wood 33 Quartz, var. rose (Quartz, var. chert) 34 Quartz, var. amethyst 77 Coal 35 Hornblende* 78 Diatomite 36 Tourmaline* 37 Graphite* 38 Sphalerite* *= not generally in kits. Minerals numbered 39 Biotite* 8-10, 25, 29, 35-40 are listed for information 40 Dolomite* only. www.janrasmussen.com iii ALPHABETICAL LIST OF ROCKS & MINERALS IN KIT See final pages of book for color photographs of rocks and minerals. MINERALS: Apatite* 5 Azurite (dark blue) 12 Barite 15 ROCKS: Biotite 39 Bornite (peacock tarnish) 23 Apache Tear 50 Calcite 3 Basalt 51 Chalcopyrite (brassy) 14 Breccia 74 Chrysocolla (blue-green) 11 Coal 77 Copper (refined) 30 Conglomerate 73 Corundum* 9 Diatomite 78 Cuprite* 25 Gneiss 64 Diamond* 10 Granite 57 Dolomite* 40 Limestone 71 Fluorite 4 Marble 62 Galena (metallic) 16 Metaconglomerate* 65 Garnet 18 Obsidian 54 Glauberite pseudomorph 31 Perlite 53 Gold* 29 Phyllite 66 Graphite* 37 Pumice 52 Gypsum 2 Quartzite* 60 Halite (table salt) 24 Rhyolite 56 Hematite 17 Sandstone 70 Hornblende 35 Schist 61 Limonite (Goethite) 26 (Serpentinite)* (20) Magnetite 19 Shale* 75 Malachite (green) 21 Silicified Wood 76 Muscovite (mica group) 22 (Quartz, var. chert) Orthoclase (feldspar group) 6 Slate 63 Peridot 28 Travertine (onyx) 72 Pyrite (brassy) 27 Tuff 55 Quartz, var. amethyst 34 Quartz, var. chalcedony 13 Quartz 7 Quartz, var. rose 33 Serpentine 20 Sphalerite* 38 Sulfur 32 Talc 1 Topaz* 8 Tourmaline* 36 www.janrasmussen.com iv Table of Contents NUMERICAL LIST OF ROCKS & MINERALS IN KIT ............................................... iii ALPHABETICAL LIST OF ROCKS & MINERALS IN KIT ......................................... iv INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................. 1 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ......................................................................................................... 1 INVENTORY OF TEACHER KIT CONTENTS .............................................................. 3 SUGGESTIONS FOR USING THIS TEACHER KIT ...................................................... 4 Level I (K-2) ................................................................................................................................ 4 Level I-II (3-4-5) ........................................................................................................................ 5 Level II (3-4-5) .......................................................................................................................... 6 Level III (6-7-8/Middle School or Junior High) .......................................................................... 7 Level IV High School .................................................................................................................. 9 PHYSICAL TESTS FOR MINERAL IDENTIFICATION ............................................. 10 DEFINITION OF A MINERAL ................................................................................................ 10 COLOR ...................................................................................................................................... 10 LUSTER .................................................................................................................................... 10 CLEAVAGE .............................................................................................................................. 11 FRACTURE .............................................................................................................................. 14 Types of Fracture: ................................................................................................................. 14 CRYSTAL FORM ..................................................................................................................... 15 HARDNESS .............................................................................................................................. 15 STREAK .................................................................................................................................... 17 SPECIFIC GRAVITY ............................................................................................................... 17 TENACITY ............................................................................................................................... 17 DIAPHANIETY ........................................................................................................................ 18 EFFERVESCENCE (FIZZ) IN ACID ....................................................................................... 18 OTHER TESTS ......................................................................................................................... 18 Taste: ...................................................................................................................................... 18 Odor: ...................................................................................................................................... 18 Magnetism: ............................................................................................................................. 18 Radioactivity: ......................................................................................................................... 18 Fluorescence:.......................................................................................................................... 18 MINERAL IDENTIFICATION TABLES ....................................................................... 19 ROCK CYCLE ................................................................................................................. 23 IDENTIFICATION OF ROCKS ...................................................................................... 24 SUMMARY OF ROCK TYPES ............................................................................................... 24 Igneous Rocks ........................................................................................................................ 24 Sedimentary Rocks ................................................................................................................. 25 Metamorphic Rocks ............................................................................................................... 25 Igneous, Sedimentary, or Metamorphic? ............................................................................... 26 IGNEOUS ROCKS.................................................................................................................... 27 Textures of Igneous Rocks ..................................................................................................... 27 Characteristics of Important Minerals in Igneous Rocks ....................................................... 27 IGNEOUS ROCK IDENTIFICATION KEY ............................................................................ 28 Igneous - glassy ...................................................................................................................... 29 Igneous - pyroclastic (fragmental = ash and bombs = fire particles) ..................................... 29 www.janrasmussen.com v SEDIMENTARY ROCKS ........................................................................................................ 30 Clastic Sedimentary Rocks .................................................................................................... 30 Non-Clastic Sedimentary Rocks ............................................................................................ 31 SEDIMENTARY ROCK IDENTIFICATION KEY ................................................................. 32 Clastic Sedimentary Rocks Identification Key ...................................................................... 32 Non-Clastic Sedimentary Rock Identification Key ................................................................ 33 Sediment Grain Sizes ............................................................................................................. 34 METAMORPHIC ROCKS ........................................................................................................ 35 Foliated (Banded) Metamorphic