How to Identify Minerals: 10 Steps to Mineral Identification
By Andrew Alden, About.com Guide
Use the 10-point Mohs hardness scale. The important hardnesses are between 2 and 7. For this you'll need your fingernail (hardness about 2), a coin (hardness 3), a knife or nail (hardness 5.5) and a few key minerals. (Learn more about the Mohs scale)
Prev
- Step 1: Pick Your Mineral
- Step 2: Luster
- Step 3: Hardness
- Step 4: Color
- Step 5: Streak
- Step 6: Crystal Form and Mineral Habit
- Step 7: Cleavage and Fracture
- Step 8: Magnetism
- Step 9: Other Mineral Properties
- Step 10: Look It Up
Learning Mineral Properties
More Mineral Properties
Putting Names to Minerals
The Rock-Forming MineralsThe Metallic MineralsThe Mineral Picture Gallery
Explore Geology
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