ECG 417 : ENGINEERING GEOLOGY

LAB 1 : IDENTIFICATION OF MINERAL

DATE : 14.09.2015

PREPARED FOR : DR. HARYATI BINTI AWANG

PREPARED BY : GROUP 3

NO. NAME UiTM ID

1. SHAMIR BIN ROSLAN 2015430528
2. MOHAMAD FAIZAL BIN ZAINAL ABIDIN 2012745209
3. MUHAMMAD NURUDDIN BIN CHE AB MALIK 2015209208
4. NOORUL HILMI BIN MD SALLEH 2011780763
INTRODUCTION OF MINERAL

Although nearly 2,500 minerals are known to occur within Earth's crust, most are rare
with only about 100 occurring in abundance. Of those 100 minerals, fifteen make up the
common rock-forming minerals and only some of the remaining minerals have any
economic value. Minerals are defined as naturally occurring, inorganic, solids with a
definite chemical composition and a regular, internal crystalline structure. The keys to
this definition are the chemical composition and the crystalline structure. Different
chemical compositions result in different minerals. A good example is the mineral
plagioclase. Plagioclase is a member of the feldspar group, but there is more than one
type of plagioclase. Albite and anorthite are two examples. Albite has a chemical
composition of NaAlSi3O8, while anorthite's chemical composition is CaAl 2Si2O8. Very
similar, but different - therefore two different minerals.
Different crystalline structures, or how the atoms and molecules are arranged, result in
different minerals. A good example is diamond and graphite. Both minerals are
composed of carbon (C). The same chemical composition, but two different crystalline
structures - therefore, two different minerals.

The physical properties of minerals also can be identify using the following procedure :-
i. Colour
ii. Lustre
iii. Streak
iv. Transparency
v. Cleavage and Fracture
vi. Crystal Form
vii. Tenacity
viii. Hardness
ix. Reaction with acid

OBJECTIVES

The objective of this test is to learn how to examine minerals and to do tests for
common properties. The minerals that we will study here represent the most common
rock-forming minerals plus the most important economic minerals. These are of interest
to us because a good understanding of the physical and chemical oceanographic
processes we will be learning about in this class requires a good understanding of the
solid materials that are at the core of these processes. All minerals that have been test
have their own characteristic such as physical characteristic, reaction with chemical
substance. For example calcite will react with HCL acid because calcite has contained
lime stone.
Beside that the other objective of this test is to identify common rock- forming
and ore minerals on the basic of common physical properties. Minerals are differing
from each other in chemical composition and architecture and this factor produce
distinctive physical properties that enable minerals to be identified. The most useful
physical properties for identifying minerals by see the colour of minerals. Different
minerals has different colour. For example quartz has colourless colour on their body
and pyrite has a gold colour. Their also have their own specific gravity.

IDENTIFICATION OF MINERALS

Minerals can be identified based on its physical properties, which are characteristics that
can be observed or determined by a simple test. To implement the Identification Of
Materials, in laboratory students have to choose 5 difference types of minerals. Bellow,
is a methodology of identifications of minerals.

APPARATUS

ROCK COLOUR CHART

COLOUR TABLE

HARDNESS & STREAK TOOL

MATERIALS

MAGNETITE GALENA PYRITE

QUARTZ HEMATITE HYDROCHORIC ACID

10% SOLUTION

METHODOLOGY

1.To identify the colour

1) Choose 5 differences types of minerals. Example magnetite, galena, hematite,
quartz & pyrite
2) By using a naked eye, observe the surface of the minerals
3) Refer to the Colour Chart For Rocks to identified the colour and code
4) Transfer the name of the colour with code into the table.
5) *note : colour is a mineral surface colour itself

2.To identify the lustre

1) Use the same types of minerals
2) By using a naked eye, observe the surface of the minerals
3) Refer to the Table 3 : Description Of Luster to identified the lustre of the minerals
either metallic, vitreous, resinous, silky or dull
4) *note : lustre is the appearance of a minerals surface in reflected light
: also can be describe by the degree of brightness
3.To identify the streak
1) Use the same types of minerals
2) By using a special plate in Mohs Scale Of Hardness box, crushing and
powdering the minerals until we can identified the colour
3) *note : streak is a colour comes from mineral powder

4.To identify the tranparency

1) Use the same types of minerals
2) By using a naked eye, observe the surface of the minerals
3) Refer to the Table 4 : Description Of Transparency to identified the transparency
of the minerals either opaque, transparent, semi-transparent or translucent
4) *note : transparency is the degree to which a mineral allow light to pass trough it

5.To Identify the Cleavage / Fracture

1) Use the same types of minerals
2) By using a naked eye, observe the cleavage / fracture of the minerals
3) Refer to the Figure 3 : Cleavage Direction Of Minerals & Figure 4 : Fracture Of
Minerals

6.To identify the Crystal Form

1) Use the same types of minerals
2) By using a naked eye, observe the shape of the minerals
3) Refer to the Figure 5 : Crystal System Of Minerals to identified the crystal form of
the minerals

7.To identify Tenacity

i. testing for brittleness

one should scratch the specimen with a harder mineral or material, and see if the
mineral leaves a fine powder. If fine powder is scratched off the mineral, it is
brittle. If just a furrow is left without any fine powder, the mineral is non-brittle.

ii. testing for sectile

insert a knife into the mineral and see if it goes through. If the knife penetrates,
the mineral is sectile.

iii. testing for flexibility

slight pressure should be placed on the mineral to see if it bends. If it moves to
the new position after stress is released, it is inelastic. If it goes back to its
original position after stress is released, it is elastic.
8.To Identified The Hardness
1) Use the same types of minerals
2) By using a 10 minerals given in Mohs Scale Of Hardness, scratch this minerals
to our minerals surface two to three times
3) The hardness scale for our minerals only can be identified when the 10 minerals
given in Mohs Scale Of Harness start not to powdering / break after scratched
with our minerals
4) Refer to the Table 3 : Hardness Scale For Minerals to identified the hardness of
the minerals
5) *note : 10 minerals given in Mohs Scale Of Hardness (1 the weakest & 10
the hardest)
: hardess is measure by the ease or difficulty with which it can be
scratched

9.Reaction with Acid

1) Use the same types of minerals
2) By using the dropper, drop a few of 10% hydrochloric acid, HCL on the minerals.
3) Observe the surface of the minerals if anything changed.
RESULT:

IDENTIFICATION OF MINERAL

NAME COLOUR LUSTRE TRANSPARENCY STREAK CRYSTAL CLEAVAGE/ TENANCITY HARDNESS

FORM FRACTURE
Quartz Silky glass Vitreous Transparent Colourless Hexagonal Cleavage
Brittle 7.0
Magnetite Grey Silky Opaque Black Octahedrons Fracture
(irregular) Sectile 6.0
Hematite Brownish Dull Opaque Brown Pyritohedrons Fracture
black (conchoidal) Britte 5.0-6.0
Galena Dark grey Metallic Opaque Black Cubes Fracture
(Irregular) Brittle 2.5
Pyrite Pale olive Metallic Opaque Black Tetrahedrons Fracture
(Conchoidal) Brittle 6.0

REACTION WITH ACID

All types of minerals give no reaction towards the 10% hydrochloric acid, HCL.
DISCUSSION

QUARTZ

Quartz looks like a shiny glass and very strong structure. Chemical formula of quartz is SiO2. Mostly, quartz is usednin radio, glass
making, porcelain in detergent and paint. Main shape of this minerals is hexagonal.

MAGNETITE

Magnetite has black metallic in color. Well known of its magnetic behavior thats very responsive towards metal. This mineral also
need to be wash immediately after met with water to prevent it from rusting.

HEMATITE

Hematite is one of the most common minerals. The color of most red and brown rock, such as sandstone, is caused by small
amounts of Hematite. It is also be responsible for the red color of many minerals. Non-crystalline forms of Hematite may be
transformations of the mineral Limonite that lost water, possibly due to heat.

GALENA

Galena has bright metallic color and its surface look like silver. It has high density and has sharp form of structure. It will form small
cubes when applied pressure on it. It contains plumbum, Pb that needed in battery such as car battery.

PYRITE

Pyrite is important in making sulphuric acid. Sometimes, it also contain a small amount of gold.
CONCLUSION

According to the experiments Identification of minerals , we can learn to identify the

minerals. The classification for this experiment are to determine color, lustre , streak,
transparency, cleavage and fracture, tenancy, hardness and reaction with acid. A mineral
can be define as a natural inorganic substance having a particular chemical composition
or range of composition, and a regular atomic structure to which its crystalline form is
related. To study rocks , it is necessary to know the rock forming minerals. identify the
rock name. Each mineral possesses certain physical properties or characteristic by
which it may be recognized or identified . Some of subjected to certain simple test.
Physical properties useful in mineral identification.

REFERENCE

1.The Changing Earth-Exploring Geology and Evolution (Edition).

James S. Monroe
Professor Emeritus
Central Michigan University.
Reed Wicander
Central Michigan University.

2. www.minerals.net

Properties of pyrite, galena, hematite, magnetite and quartz.