How are unknown minerals identified?

Minerals can be identified by their physical characteristics. The physical properties of minerals are related to their chemical composition and bonding. Some characteristics, such as a mineral's hardness, are more useful for mineral identification.

Explanation:

1. Hardness, the ability to resist being scratched—or hardness—is one of the most useful properties for identifying minerals. (ex. diamond)

2. Luster, luster is how a mineral reflects light.

3. Color, one of the most obvious properties of a mineral is color. (ex. Red- Ruby, Green- Jade, Blue- Opal)

4. Streak, the color of a mineral in its powdered form. It is usually obtained by rubbing the mineral on a hard, white surface, such as a tile of un-glazed porcelain, so as to yield a line, or streak, of fine powder. (Kinda like rubbing chalk on a concrete floor to get the color)

5. Specific Gravity, the weight (How heavy is it?)

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