1. PS 110 Lab
Rocks and Minerals

2. MINERALS
3. QUARTZ
4. QUARTZ(SILICA)
Composition- SIO2
Characteristics
Crystal structure
Six-sided
One of the most common minerals
5. FELDSPAR
6. FELDSPAR
Composition-
Positive-Na, Ca, K, Al
Negative- Silicate
Characteristics
Many varieties, usually light in color
Two cleavage planes
Most common mineral- 60 % of Earths Crust
7. Muscovite Mica
8. MUSCOVITE MICA
Composition
Positive- K, Al,
Negative- Silicate
Characteristics
One cleavage plane
Split into thin sheets
Colorless
9. Biotite Mica
10. BIOTITE MICA
Composition
Positive- K, Al, Mg, Fe
Negative- Silicate
Characteristics
One cleavage plane
Split into thin sheets
Dark color due to presence of iron.
11. Hornblende
12. Hornblende
Composition
Positive- Fe, Mg
Negative- Silicates
Characteristics
Two cleavage planes
Dark in color due to iron
More dense than feldspar
13. Kaolin
14. KAOLIN
Composition
Al, OH-, Silicates, Water molecules
Characteristics
Crumbly, no crystal structure
White, but can be colored from impurities
will not fizz with acid
15. Calcite
16. CALCITE
Composition
CaCO3
Characteristics
Crystal formed by precipitation
Three cleavage planes, not all at 90 degrees
Rhomboid-like shape
17. Hematite
18. Hematite
Composition
Iron
Characteristics
Irregular fracture
Red color
used as pigment in paint
19. Magnetite
20. Magnetite
Composition
Iron
Characteristics
Irregular fracture
Black color
Magnetic
21. Bauxite
22. BAUXITE
Composition
Al, OH, H20
Characteristic
Unique Appearance
Looks like a hard sponge
23. Pyrite
24. Pyrite
Composition
Iron
Characteristics
Fools Gold
Color and density are unique
25. Galena
26. GALENA
Composition-PbS
Characteristics
Three cleavage planes
Black and very dense
Includes lead-very toxic
27. Garnet
28. Garnet
Composition- Fe,Al, silicate
Characteristics
Appearance is black and reddish
Very hard
29. Halite
30. HALITE
Composition
NaCl
Characteristics
Three cleavage planes, all at 90 degrees
Rock salt
Cubic structure
31. Gypsum
32. GYPSUM
Composition-Ca,SO4, H2O
Characteristics
One cleavage plane, two not at 90 degrees
When heated, it turns into plaster of paris
33. ROCKS
34. IGNEOUS
35. GRANITE
36. GRANITE
Composition -Felsie
How it was formed
Slow cooling of magma in large underground formations.
Characteristics
Because of the slow cooling, crystals are visible
Very hard, can be polished to smooth surface
Used in buildings and tombstones
37. PUMICE
38. PUMICE
Composition-Felsie
How it was formed
Cooled very rapidly while gases were escaping, freezing the bubbles in place.
Characteristics
Bubbles in structure.
39. OBSIDIAN
40. Obsidian
Composition
Felsie
How it was formed
Very rapid cooling of felsic lava with high silica content. Cooling was so rapid that not crystals could form.
Characteristic
Glossy texture, smooth
choncoidal fracture
Usually dark in color
41. GABBRO
42. Gabbro
Composition-Mafic
How it was formed
Slow cooling of mafic magma
Characteristics
looks like granite, but darker colored crystals(ferromagnesian minerals)
43. SEDIMENTARY
44. LIMESTONE
45. LIMESTONE
Composition- Calcite and other minerals
How it was formed
Precipitates on the ocean floor due to the low temperature there. Calcite is cycled around by sea creatures who use it for shells
Characteristics
Light color, fine grained
Harder than most sedimentary rocks
Abundant in WV
46. CHERT/FLINT
47. Chert/Flint
Composition-Mostly silica
Characteristics
Very sharp edges, used for cutting tools
48. SANDSTONE
49. Sandstone
Composition- Silica grains and cementing materials
How It was formed
Sand deposited under water is buried and cemented together with minerals from groundwater.
Characteristics
Sand grains can be rubbed off
color usually light
50. SHALE
51. SHALE
Composition
Kaolin and other minerals
How it was formed
Kaolin mud and other minerals are deposited on the ocean floor, then buried and compacted by pressure
Characteristics
One cleavage plane, not very hard, color varies depending on minerals present.
52. PEAT
53. PEAT
Composition- Carbon, hydrogen, oxygen with compacted plant decay
How it was formed
Plants growing and dying in shallow ocean or swap fall into water where they decay with little oxygen present.
Characteristics
Visible plant stems
This is the first stage of the production of coal
54. LIGNITE
55. LIGNITE
Composition- C/H/O, higher C content than peat.
How it was formed
Anaerobic decay on peat and then burial by more sediments.
Characteristics
Dark like coal, but evidence of plant stems are still visible.
56. BITUMINOUS COAL
57. BITUMINOUS COAL
Composition- Carbon content 70-80 percent
How it was formed
Further compression of lignite
Characteristics
No evidence of plant origin
One-three cleavage planes
Shiny surface
One step below Anthracite coal, the highest grade.
58. METAMORPHIC
59. SLATE
60. SLATE
Composition- Kaolin and other minerals
How it was formed
Parent rock=shale
Shale that is buried deep becomes much harder from compression.
Characteristics
One cleavage plane
Much harder than shale
Very durable and heavy
61. GNEISS
62. GNEISS
composition- Parent rock-shale
How it was formed
Heat and pressure from deep burial causes flat crystals to form in a horizontal pattern.
Characteristics
Visible aligned crystals
resembles granite
pattern appears to be layering
63. MARBLE
64. MARBLE
Composition- Calcite
How it was formed
Heat and pressure on deeply buried and fairly pure limestone causes large crystals to grow.
Characteristics
Visible crystals
white, though impurities may show color
can be polished to smooth surface
65. QUARTZITE
66. QUARTZITE
Composition- silica
How it was formed
Heat and pressure on sandstone that is cemented with silica lead to crystallization of the silica cement and sand particles.
Characteristics
Looks like sandstone
much harder, sand cannot be rubbed off
may show choncoidal fracture