The Mineral Identification Key

Table IB: Minerals with Metallic or Submetallic Luster & Hardness greater than 2, but less than 5 Hardness 1 to 2 1 to 2 Color Iron-black Silvery-white Streak Black Grey Cleavage One perfect direction Mineral Bijih PYROLUSITE MnO2 SYLVANITE (Au,Ag)Te2 System Tetragonal Monoclinic Habit May be splintery or in radiating fibrous masses Usually granular or in bladed aggregates, often appears as skeletal forms on rocks, resembling writing (cuneiform) Platy masses or thin six-sided platy crystals Habit Usually as thick bladed crystals with striations both parallel to and across the long axis; crystals often bent or "kinked" Prismatic, pyramidal, rhombohedral, and scalenohedral crystals , also massive, usually as complex intergrown crystal SG 4.7 8 to 8.2 Notes Will sometimes mark paper. May mark paper. Rare Logam Manganese (Mangan) Gold (Emas)

1 to 2

Metallic-blue, tarnishes to blue-black Color Bluish-black to Silveryblack

Black

One perfect direction (basal) Cleavage One perfect direction (prismatic), two imperfect

COVELLITE CuS

Trigonal

4.6

Hardness 2

Streak Grey-black

Name STIBNITE Sb2S3

System Orthorhombic

SG 4.5

May be somewhat iridescent, turns metallic-purple when wet. Will sometimes mark paper. Notes Fuses in a candle flame. Will sometimes mark paper.

2 to 2

Deep Rubyred to Bright Ruby-red

Brownish-red One distinct to Scarlet or direction Vermilion

PYRARGYRITE/ PROUSTITE Ag3(Sb,As)S3 Ag3(As,Sb)S3

Trigonal

5.58 (pyrargyrite), 5.57 (proustite)

Isostructural species difficult to distinguish, though pyrargyrite is usually darker in color and more common than

aggregates 2 to 2 Grey-black to Lead-grey Black ACANTHITE Ag2S Isometric Pseudo-cubic, usually massive 7.3

Hardness 2

Color Bluish-black to Lead-grey

Streak Grey-Black to Black

Cleavage Perfect in three directions at 90o to each other

Name GALENA PbS

System Isometric

Brass-yellow to Silverywhite

Yellowish to Greenishgrey

CALAVERITE AuTe2

Monoclinic

Habit Usually in cubic crystals or masses exhibiting cubic cleavage, also in granular masses Usually granular, rarely in distinct elongated crystals

SG 7.6

proustite, fusible in a candle flame. Rare. Bright steel-grey on fresh surfaces but darkens upon exposure, easily cut with a knife (sectile). Will usually mark paper. Notes Will usually mark Timbal paper. Most common (Lead) heavy mineral. Very heavy, easily fusible in a candle flame (leaving globules of gold). May mark paper. Rare. Fuses easily in a candle flame. Notes Fuses easily in a candle flame Emas (Gold)

9.35

2 to 3

Grey-black

Black

One good direction Cleavage

JAMESONITE Pb4FeSb6S14 Name BOURNONITE PbCuSbS3

Monoclinic

Hardness 2 to 3

Color Grey-black

Streak Grey to Black

System Orthorhombic

2 to 3

Steel-grey, may tarnish to black on exposure

Grey to Black

CHALCOCITE Cu2S

Monoclinic, pseudoorthorhombic

2 to 3

Dark metallic

Black

DIGENITE

Isometric

Dense clusters or carpets of fibrous to acicular crystals; very delicate! Habit Usually in stout prismatic crystals often as intergrown clusters with twinning exhibited by re-entrant angles Usually in compact masses, crystals tabular to stoutly prismatic, often with a pseudo-hexagonal outline, vertically striated. Usually massive as

5.5 to 6.0

SG 5.8 to 5.9

5.7

5.5 to 5.7

Very similar to

Blue to Black 2 to 3 Steel-grey, tarnishes metallic blue Color Lead-grey Dark steelgrey Streak Brown to brownishgrey Cleavage One distinct direction

Cu9S5 STROMEYERITE AgCuS Name BOULANGERITE Pb5Sb4S11 Orthorhombic, pseudohexagonal System Monoclinic

Hardness 2 to 3

2 to 3

Dark-red to Vermilion

Dark-red

One perfect direction

CINNABAR HgS

Trigonal

2 to 3

Copper-red on fresh surfaces, tarnishes to brown or black

Coppery-red, shiny

COPPER Cu

Isometric

2 to 3

2 to 3

Goldenyellow, shiny, becoming paler with increased Ag content electrum variety Silvery-white, tarnishes black

Goldenyellow, shiny

GOLD Au

Isometric

Silverywhite, shiny

SILVER Ag

Isometric

small to tiny irregular grains, very rarely as octahedral crystals Usually massive, granular, rarely as pseudo-hexagonal prismatic crystals Habit Usually massive as fibrous bundles, crystals usually needle-like mats, prismatic crystals rarer Usually massive, crystals uncommon and usually rhombohedral, often as penetration twins Usually in irregular masses, large grains, wires, and crude dendritic crystals, crystals usually octahedral and malformed, may be cubic or other Isometric forms Usually massive in irregular grains, nuggets, "leaves" and "flakes", crystals often wires crudely dendritic or as malformed octahedrons Usually massive as irregular grains, wires, and dendritic crystals

6.2 to 6.3

chalcocite, but much rarer in nonmicroscopic sizes. Rare.

SG 6.0 to 6.3

Notes Thin acicular crystals flexible. Rare.

8.10

Luster actually adamantine, appearing metallic, heavy. Malleable.

8.9

15.0 to 19.3

Malleable, very heavy! Rare. Distinguished from pyrite "fools gold" by its malleability, softness and weight. Malleable, heavy. Rare. May mark paper.

10.5

Hardness 3

Color Grey-black

Streak Black

Cleavage One perfect (prismatic), two distinct, and one indistinct direction

Name ENARGITE Cu3AsS4

System Orthorhombic

Habit Usually in bladed masses

SG 4.4

Notes Crystals vertically striated

3 to 3

Brownishbronze on fresh surfaces, tarnishing to metallic purple, iridescent ("peacock ore") Brass-yellow

Grey-black

BORNITE Cu5FeS4

Orthorhombic, pseudotetrahedral

Crystals usually pseudo-cubic, usually massive

5.1

Thin splinters fusible in a candle flame, giving a brittle magnetic globule.

3 to 3

Steel-grey

Black, sometimes with a greenish tinge Steel-grey

MILLERITE NiS

Trigonal

Usually in radiating groups or mats of needle-like to hairlike crystals Usually massive, also in columnar and radiating fibrous aggregates of needlelike crystals Usually massive, foliated, or granular, rarely as pseudocubic or thick tabular crystals Habit Usually massive or granular, crystals uncommon and usually pseudotetrahedral Usually found in

5.5

Slender crystals usually have a greenish tinge Rare

One indistinct direction

ZINKENITE Pb9Sb22S42

Hexagonal

5.2 to 5.3

3 to 3

Tin-white

Silvery-grey, shiny

Hardness 3 to 4

Color Steel-grey, may tarnish dead black upon exposure

Streak Black (may be Brownishblack)

One perfect, one distinct, and one imperfect direction Cleavage

ANTIMONY Sb

Trigonal

6.6 to 6.7

Very brittle. Rare

Name TETRAHEDRITE/ TENNANTITE (Cu,Fe)12Sb4S13 (Cu,Fe)12As4S13< FONT> ARSENIC

System Isometric

SG 4.6 to 5.1

Tin-white,

Grey-black

One perfect

Trigonal

5.7

Notes End members difficult to distinguish without subtle tests an S.G. above 4.7 is conclusive for tetrahedrite. Heated in candle

tarnishing to Dark-grey

(basal)

As

botryoidal fibrous masses

3 to 4

BrownishBlack bronze to Bronze-yellow Brass-yellow, often iridescent Black

No cleavage but large grains exhibit an octahedral parting

PENTLANDITE (Fe,Ni)9S8

Isometric

Usually massive in granular aggregates

4.6 to 5.0

flame it gives off white fumes that have a strong garlic odor (poisonous!) Rare Resembles pyrrhotite but is not magnetic, often mixed with pyrrhotite Often mixed with pyrite, making a hardness test inconclusive; distinguished from pyrite by softness and shape of crystals. Rare

3 to 4

CHALCOPYRITE CuFeS2

Tetragonal

Usually massive, crystals blocky tetrahedrons or wedge-shaped.

4.1 to 4.3

3 to 4

Brown to Black

Brown

Good in one direction, poor in another direction Cleavage Perfect in six directions, three directions usually prominent

WURTZITE ZnS

Hexagonal

Hardness 3 to 4

3 to 4

Color Dark-brown to black, sometimes Olive-yellow or Red ("Ruby Jack") to Reddish-black Ruby-red to Reddishbrown Black Color Brownishbronze to

Streak Dark to Light-brown: streak usually lighter than the color of the sample Brownish-red

Name SPHALERITE ZnS

System Isometric

Usually massive and as banded botryoidal crusts, more rarely as pyramidal hemimorphic crystals Habit Usually in compact crystalline masses, crystals usually blocky pyramidal, appearing tetrahedral Usually massive, crystals usually cubes or octahedrons Usually massive or granular. Habit Usually massive, crystals as pseudo-

4.0 to 4.1

SG 3.9 to 4.1

Notes Luster actually resinous, appearing metallic or submetallic

CUPRITE Cu2O One perfect direction Cleavage ALABANDITE MnS Name PYRRHOTITE Fe1-xS

Isometric

6.0

3 to 4 Hardness 4

Green Streak Grey-black

Isometric System Monoclinic pseudo-

4.0 to 4.1 SG 4.6 to 4.7

Luster may be adamantine rather than metallic in crystals Rare Notes Magnetic, though may be weak

4 4

Bronze-yellow Steel-grey to Black Iron-black Steel-grey to Iron-black

Indistinct in two directions

STANNITE Cu2FeSnS4 MANGANITE MnO(OH)

hexagonal Tetragonal Monoclinic, pseudoorthorhombic

Dark reddish- One perfect, brown to two good Black directions

hexagonal plates Usually massive, 4.3 to 4.5 rarely as pseudooctahedral crystals Usually in radiating 4.3 fibrous masses, crystals often grouped in bundles. Usually massive in irregular grains or nuggets, crystals rare and usually malformed cubes Habit Usually massive, more rarely as prismatic crystals in cruciform penetration twins 14 to 19

Rare Often associated with pyrolusite; distinguished from that species by its significantly greater hardness Malleable, very heavy! Very rare. Distinguished from gold by its color. Notes Rare; alloclasite, monoclinic, is dimorphous with glaucodot and difficult to distinguish from it, but is probably even rarer Luster usually resinous to waxy, but may be adamantine and may appear sub-metallic S.G. above about 7.3 indicates ferberite, lower indicates hbnerite May be coated with green "nickel bloom" (annabergite).

4 to 4

White to Steel-grey

Grey, shiny

PLATINUM Pt

Isometric

Hardness 5

Color Steel-grey

Streak Black

Cleavage One perfect direction

Name GLAUCODOT (Co,Fe)AsS

System Orthorhombic

SG 5.9 to 6.1

Yellowish or reddish-brown

Pale-brown to white

5 to 5

5 to 5

Dark-brown to Black: color black in ferberite brown in hbnerite Pale Copperred to Pinkish silvery-white, tarnishing to

Dark-brown to Black: streak darkens with increasing Fe content Black

Variable: may be good in one direction and poor to good in another direction One perfect direction

MONAZITE (Ce,La,Nd)PO4

Monoclinic

Usually massive, granular, may be in crude large crystals

4.6 to 5.3 (approx.)

FERBERITE/ HBNERITE ("Wolframite" series) (Fe,Mn)WO4 (Mn,Fe)WO4 NICKELINE NiAs

Monoclinic

Usually massive, granular, crystals tabular to bladed with vertical striations Usually massive, crystals rare and usually pyramidal, often malformed,

7.0 to 7.5

Hexagonal

7.78

Dark-grey or Black 5 to 5 Dark brown to Black YellowOne perfect brown or direction Yellow-ocher Cleavage GOETHITE (pronounced "Gerta-ite.") FeO(OH) Name CHROMITE FeCr2O4 Orthorhombic

Hardness 5

Color Streak Dark-brown to Iron-black to Black Brownishblack

System Isometric

may also be reticulated or arborescent Usually in radiating 4.37 botryoidal aggregates, mammillary, or stalactic Habit SG Usually massive, 4.6 rarely as octahedral crystals

5 to 6

Dark-brown to Rust-red or Steel-grey to Indian-red Black

(Magnesiochromite is closely related, S.G. 4.2, Rare. Manganochromite, H. 6, is even rarer.) HEMATITE Trigonal Fe2O3

Notes Luster usually pitchy, submetallic, usually associated with peridotite rocks and accompanied by green or yellow alteration products. Usually harder than a knife, but some forms can be softer. (See under Tables IA & IC.)

Usually massive in 4.8 to 5.3 radiating, reniform, or micaceous aggregates