Mineralogists use a number of tests on the physical properties of minerals to determine their identity.
We offer a variety of mineral kits and mineral collections for classroom and personal use
Graphite. Comments: Black, sub-hexagonal crystal of graphite in calcite. Location: Lead Hill Mine, (near Ticonderoga), Essex Co., New York, USA. Scale: Crystal size 1 .
We have a variety of rock and mineral collections in boxed display trays. These specimens may be removed from the trays for hands-on examination and study.
Pyrite. Comments: Lustrous 1 - 2 cm cubes of pyrite encased in a very fine-grained sedimentary marlstone (clay and calcite). Location: Navajun-(La Rioja)-Spain.
Rhodochrosite (whose name means rose-colored) is a very attractive mineral with an absolutely one-of-a-kind, beautiful color. Although it can be an ore of manganese ...
Well over 3600 mineral species have been identified at this time. Something over 500 of them are known to fluoresce visibly in some specimens.
Identify the following mineral by clicking on the buttons below to reveal its properties one by one. For a harder/more specific test, choose from the test material above.
What is a mineral? For earth science these are the characteristics that classify a substance as a mineral. What do those characteristics mean?
Magnetic properties are useful for identifying a mineral, for if observed it can pinpoint a mineral. The most effective testing results are obtained with the ...
Detailed description, properties, and locality information guide about the titanium mineral ilmenite.
Conglomerate is a clastic sedimentary rock composed of rounded clasts.
Mohs Scale of Mineral Hardness. In 1812 the Mohs scale of mineral hardness was devised by the German mineralogist Frederich Mohs (1773-1839), who selected the ten ...
A mineral is a naturally occurring chemical compound, usually of crystalline form and abiogenic in origin. A mineral has one specific chemical composition, whereas a ...
back to top. Much information for this page provided by "The Collector's book of Fluorescent Minerals".
The mineral calcite, also known as Iceland spar, is a widely used material in optics because of its birefringence. Its birefringence is so large that a calcite ...