Mineral Identification

Identify minerals in the field using physical properties, systematic elimination, and simple field tests.

When to Use

• You find an unknown rock or mineral specimen and want to identify it
• You are prospecting and need to assess whether a site shows indicators of valuable minerals
• You want to distinguish ore-bearing rock from barren rock in the field
• You are building geological literacy through systematic observation

Inputs

• Required: A mineral specimen or outcrop to examine
• Optional: Streak plate (unglazed porcelain tile or bathroom tile back)
• Optional: Steel nail or knife blade (hardness ~5.5)
• Optional: Glass plate (hardness ~5.5)
• Optional: Copper coin (hardness ~3.5)
• Optional: Hand lens (10x)