Geological Identification Tests

Rock and mineral identification tests

• Acid Test — The acid test detects carbonate minerals by applying dilute hydrochloric acid HCl to a specimen and observing the reaction.
• Cleavage and Fracture Test — Cleavage and fracture describe how a mineral breaks, and together they are among the most powerful diagnostic physical properties in mineralogy.
• Crystal Habit Observation — Crystal habit describes the overall external shape of a mineral crystal or aggregate of crystals. It is a reflection of the mineral's internal crystal…
• Diaphaneity Test — Diaphaneity also called transparency or translucency describes how light passes through a mineral specimen.
• Fluorescence Test — The fluorescence test uses ultraviolet UV light to detect visible light emission from minerals. Certain minerals absorb UV radiation and re-emit it at…
• Hardness Test — The hardness test measures a mineral's resistance to scratching, ranked on the Mohs scale from 1 talc to 10 diamond .
• Luster Assessment — Luster describes the quality and intensity of light reflected from a mineral's surface, and it is one of the first properties observed during…
• Magnetism Test — The magnetism test checks whether a mineral is attracted to a magnet, which indicates the presence of iron in specific oxidation states and crystal…
• Specific Gravity Test — Specific gravity SG measures the ratio of a mineral's density to the density of water 1 g/cm³ at 4°C .
• Streak Test — The streak test determines the color of a mineral's powder by rubbing it across an unglazed porcelain plate streak plate .
• Tenacity Test — Tenacity describes how a mineral responds to mechanical stress—specifically, how it behaves when hit, bent, cut, or pulled apart.