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funny, i was copying this to paste in another tfp forum, and cant find the forum...oh well...
Ways to Identify Common Minerals
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Mar 23, 2:39 PM (ET)
By The Associated Press
Many common minerals can be identified by studying features such as fracture, cleavage, crystal system, habit, hardness, color and streak.
_Minerals can break in different ways. If a mineral breaks in an irregular way, leaving rough surfaces, it possesses fracture.
_If a mineral breaks along well-defined planes of weakness, it possesses cleavage.
_Most minerals form crystals which can be categorized in crystal systems according to their symmetry and number of faces.
_A mineral's habit is the typical form taken by an aggregate of its crystals.
_The relative hardness of a mineral may be assessed by testing its resistance to scratching. This property is typically measured using Moh's Scale, which increases in hardness from 1 (talc) to 10 (diamond).
_Some minerals have a range of colors so it is not a dependable guide to identification.
_Streak is the color the powdered mineral makes when rubbed across an unglazed tile.
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