Regents Earth Science

John Dewey High School

Mr. Klimetz

Properties of Common Minerals

Reading the Earth Science Reference Tables XX

Answer the following questions based on your interpretation of the Properties of Common Minerals chart of the Reference Tables (page 16) as well as your class notes.

1.   I am a mineral with a nonmetallic luster and a hardness of 2. I am a principal component

of plaster. My name is

a.  sulfur

b.  galena

c.  gypsum

d.  calcite

2.   I am a brassy-yellow mineral with fracture and a green-black streak. An ore that is

produced from me has which of the following characteristics?

a.  A hardness of 2 and red streak.

b.  A hardness of 2 and cleavage.

c.  A hardness of 2 and metallic luster.

d.  A hardness of 2 and fracture.

3.   I am a mineral which possesses hexagonal crystals, fracture, and nonmetallic luster. My

hardness is

a.  5

b.  6

c.  7

d.  8

4.   I am a dark-colored mineral which possesses two cleavage planes that intersect perpen-

dicularly. My name is

a.  hornblende

b.  pyroxene

c.  graphite

d.  biotite mica

5.   I am a mineral often seen as red grains in the metamorphic rocks of NYS, as a gemstone,

and on the rough side of a nail file. My name and hardness is

a.  Quartz - 7

b.  Fluorite - 4

c.  Hematite - 6.5

d.  Garnet - 7

6.   Which of the following mineral pairs are ores of iron?

a.  galena and pyrite

b.  pyrite and olivine

c.  hematite and pyrite

d.  magnetite and hematite

7.   Which of the following mineral pairs produce bubbles when each is immersed in acid?

a.  calcite and gypsum

b.  calcite and halite

c.  calcite and dolomite

d.  dolomite and quartz

8.   Which of the following mineral pairs are used to produce ceramics?

a.  quartz and orthoclase

b.  olivine and quartz

c.  orthoclase and plagioclase

d.  plagioclase and quartz

9.   Which of the following mineral pairs have direct application for beneficial use either in or

on the human body?

a.  graphite and garnet

b.  halite and gypsum

c.  gypsum and talc

d.  talc and halite

10. The only mineral which possesses a magnetic character possesses which of the

following characteristics?

a.  Hardness of 6, nonmetallic luster, black color.

b.  Hardness of 6, two directions of cleavage, black streak.

c.  Black streak, metallic luster, one direction of cleavage.

d.  Silver color, metallic luster, hardness of 6.

11.  Which of the following minerals are shown in their correct order of hardness, from

lowest to hardest?

a.  quartz-orthoclase-fluorite-gypsum

b.  calcite-talc-plagioclase-garnet

c.  talc-graphite-calcite-quartz

d.  magnetite-olivine-graphite-garnet