How to Identify Minerals: A Practical Guide

Identifying minerals requires observing several physical properties. Color is obvious but unreliable due to impurities. Streak (powder color on porcelain) is more diagnostic.

Luster describes how light reflects: metallic, vitreous, pearly, resinous, adamantine. Hardness tests scratch resistance. Cleavage shows how minerals break along flat planes.

Specific gravity measures density. Crystal habit describes typical shape. Special properties include magnetism, fluorescence, taste, smell, and reaction to acid..