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Mineral Identification Guide
Complete with photos and information about
each mineral’s distinguishing characteristics,
this mineral identification guide has been
designed to assist you in identifying the
minerals provided in the Deeper and Deeper
and
Mining Matters II kits. This guide also includes
information about each mineral’s physical
characteristics, the location from where they
were collected and their uses in everyday life.
Year after year in-kind contributors from the
mineral and aggregate industries provide
valuable resources for our educational units.
The sheer number and variety of rock and mineral
samples required for the production of the units
is immense. More than 60 samples representing 25
different types of metallic and industrial
minerals, aggregates and the three main rock
groups – igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic –
are required for each kit. The organization
relies greatly on their industry partners,
resident geologists from the Ontario Ministry of
Northern Development and Mines and a crew of
students to aid in the collection and sizing of
samples. We would like to take this opportunity
to thank the many in-kind contributors for their
on-going support.
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Amethyst
Colour: purple
Hardness: 7
Streak: white/colourless
Lustre: vitreous (glassy)
Magnetic: no
Conductive: no
Cleavage: none, it fractures like
glass
Relative Density: 2.65
Distinguishing Characteristic:
purple colour
Origin of your Samples: North
shore of Lake Superior near Thunder Bay,
Ontario
Other Occurrences: Brazil,
Uruguay, Mexico and Russia
Uses: Amethyst is valued for its
beauty, rarity, reflective nature and
durability. Amethyst is Ontario’s
mineral emblem and the birthstone of
February. It is used for gemstones,
mineral specimens and decorative pieces.
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Barite
Colour: white with a hint of pink
Hardness: 3-3.5
Streak: white
Lustre: vitreous (glassy), pearly
Magnetic: no
Conductive: no
Cleavage: poor
Relative Density: 4.5
Distinguishing Characteristic:
unexpectedly heavy
Origin of your Samples: Shining
Tree, Ontario (between Timmins and
Sudbury)
Other Occurrences: Oklahoma,
Connecticut and Colorado in the USA,
England and Germany.
Uses: Because of its high
density, barite is used as a filler in
the manufacture of plastics and rubber.
Ground barite is also found in
chemicals, explosives, drilling mud and
is used in medical imaging.
Barite samples courtesy of Extender
Minerals of Canada. |
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Calcite
Colour: beige, off-white and
white
Hardness: 3
Streak: white
Lustre: vitreous (glassy)
Magnetic: no
Conductive: no
Cleavage: good – observe
calcite’s cleavage by holding the
mineral up to the light and turning it
slowly to see the slick, flashy surface
where light reflects off the sample
Relative Density: 2.7
Distinguishing Characteristic:
flat, glassy cleavage surfaces,
effervesces with hydrochloric acid, can
be scratched with a penny.
Origin of your Samples: Bancroft,
Ontario
Other Occurrences: USA, Germany,
Brazil, Mexico, England, India, Iceland
and Africa.
Uses: Calcite is crucial in the
manufacture of fertilizers, metals,
glass, rubber, and paint. It is the
primary ingredient of cement and is used
in the production of pharmaceuticals.
Calcite samples
courtesy of the Resident Geologist
Program, Ontario Ministry of Northern
Development and Mines. |
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Chalcopyrite
Colour: brassy yellow/green
Hardness: 3.5-4, Streak:
green-black
Lustre: metallic
Magnetic: no
Conductive: yes
Cleavage: none
Relative Density: 4.2
Distinguishing Characteristic:
Conductive
Origin of your Samples: Timmins,
Ontario
Other Occurrences: Chile, Peru,
Mexico, Europe, South Africa and USA
Uses: Chalcopyrite is the primary
ore of copper. Copper is used in
electrical wires, plumbing pipes, coins,
kitchen appliances – just to name a few.
Chalcopyrite samples
courtesy of Kidd Creek Mine operated by
Falconbridge Ltd. |
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Feldspar
Colour: pink
Hardness: 6
Streak: white/colourless
Lustre: vitreous (glassy)
Magnetic: no
Conductive: no
Cleavage: good - observe
feldspar’s cleavage by holding the
mineral up to the light and turning it
slowly to see the slick, flashy surface
where light reflects off the sample
Relative Density: 2.5
Distinguishing Characteristics:
pink colour and cleavage
Origin of your Samples: Bancroft,
Ontario
Other Occurrences: USA, Russia,
Norway and Madagascar
Uses: Feldspar is used in
porcelain and is largely collected as
mineral specimens.
Feldspar samples
courtesy of the Resident Geologist
Program, Ontario Ministry of Northern
Development and Mines. |
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Gypsum
Color: white, colorless or grey
Hardness: 2 (can be scratched by
a fingernail)
Streak: white
Lustre: vitreous to pearly
Magnetic: no
Conductive: no
Cleavage: good – but not visible
Relative Density: 2.3
Distinguishing Characteristic:
soft, but not as soft as talc
Origin of your Samples:
Hagersville, Ontario
Other Occurrences: Mexico,
Sicily, and Utah and Colorado in the USA
Uses: Gypsum is used to make
chalk, drywall, plaster, cement,
caulking and paints.
Gypsum samples courtesy
of Canadian Gypsum Company (CGC) Inc. |
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Halite
Colour: colourless
Hardness: 2
Streak: white
Lustre: vitreous (glassy)
Magnetic: no
Conductive: no
Cleavage: good - observe halite’s
cleavage planes by identifying the slick
surfaces that form right angles. Halite
breaks into cubes along these planes of
weakness.
Relative Density: 2.1
Distinguishing Characteristic:
Tastes salty, clear and colourless,
cleavage forming right angles
Origin of your Samples: Windsor,
Ontario
Other Occurrences: USA, Germany
and France
Uses: Halite is used as road salt
and table salt. It is also used in the
manufacture of glass, fire
extinguishers, paint, plastics,
synthetic rubbers and cosmetics.
Halite samples courtesy
of Canadian Salt Company Ltd. |
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Hematite
Colour: grey-black, red-brown
Hardness: 6-6.5
Streak: reddish-brown
Lustre: metallic or dull
Magnetic: yes (weakly)
Conductive: no
Cleavage: none
Relative Density: 5.3
Distinguishing Characteristic:
reddish-brown streak
Origin of your Samples:
Newfoundland
Other Occurrences: England,
Mexico, Brazil, Australia and the Lake
Superior region.
Uses: Hematite is an important
iron ore. Other varieties are used as
pigment.
Hematite samples
courtesy of Iron Ore Company of Canada
Ltd. |
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Magnetite
Colour: black
Hardness: 5.5
Streak: black
Lustre: metallic, dull
Magnetic: yes
Conductive: no
Cleavage: none
Relative Density: 5.1
Distinguishing Characteristic:
Magnetic
Origin of your Samples: Madoc,
Ontario
Other Occurrence: South Africa,
Germany, Russia and USA
Uses: Magnetite is the primary
ore of iron. Iron is used to make steel
used in buildings, bridges, vehicles and
ships – just to name a few. Stainless
steel is also used in countless
appliances and tools.
Magnetite samples
courtesy of Specialty Aggregate
Corporation. |
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Mica
Colour: dark brown (biotite),
colourless (muscovite)
Hardness: 2.5-3
Streak: white
Magnetic: no
Conductive: no
Lustre: pearly, vitreous (glassy)
Cleavage: good - observe mica’s
cleavage by holding the mineral up to
the light and turning it slowly to see
the slick, flashy surface. Crushing a
tiny bit in your hand will leave little
sparkles where light reflects off the
crushed sample.
Relative Density: 2.8
Distinguishing Characteristic:
sheets flake off in layers
Origin of your Samples: Bancroft,
Ontario
Other Occurrences: India,
Pakistan, Brazil and USA
Uses: Mica is used as an
industrial heat insulator. Scrap and
ground mica is used in wallpaper, fancy
paint, ornamental tile, roofing and
lubricating oil. Makeup also contains
tiny flecks of mica to obtain a
sparkling effect.
Mica samples courtesy
of the Resident Geologist Program,
Ontario Ministry of Northern Development
and Mines. |
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Quartz
Colour: clear, white or grey
Hardness: 7
Streak: white/colourless
Lustre: vitreous (glassy)
Magnetic: no
Conductive: no
Cleavage: none
Relative Density: 2.65
Distinguishing Characteristics:
glassy lustre and hardness
Origin of your samples: South
Porcupine, Ontario
Other Occurrence: Brazil,
Colorado, Scotland, Swiss Alps, Mexico
and Germany.
Uses: Quartz is used to
manufacture glass, electrical
components, optical lenses and
abrasives.
Quartz samples courtesy
of the Resident Geologist Program,
Ontario Ministry of Northern Development
and Mines. |
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Talc
Colour: colourless, white,
greenish, yellowish
Hardness: 1
Streak: white
Lustre: pearly, greasy
Magnetic: no
Conductive: no
Cleavage: good – but not visible
Relative Density: 2.7 - 2.8
Distinguishing Characteristic:
very soft (can leave a mark on paper)
Origin of your Samples: Madoc,
Ontario
Other Occurrence: USA, Germany,
Italy, Austria, South Africa and
Scotland.
Uses: Talc is used in making
paper (as a filler), paints, face and
talcum powder, soap, fireproof roofing,
foundry facings, lubricants, linoleum
and oilcloth, electrical insulation,
pottery and insecticides. Talc is a
major component of soapstone.
Talc samples courtesy
of Canada Talc Ltd. and Luzenac Inc. |
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