Identification of Common Rock Forming Minerals | Presentation | Assignment

The six commonest minerals. The six mineralsolivine, quartz, feldspar, mica, pyroxene and amphibole are the commonest rock-forming mineralsand are used as important tools in classifying rocks, particularly igneous rocks. Except for quartz, all theminerals listed are actually mineral groups.

While rocks consist of aggregates of minerals, minerals themselves are made up of one or a number of chemical elements with a definite chemical composition.

Minerals cannot be broken down into smaller units with different chemical compositions in the way that rocks can.

Minerals can be distinguished using various physical or chemical characteristics but since chemistry cannot be determined readily in the field, geologists us the physical properties of minerals to identify them.

These include features such as crystal form, hardness relative to a steel blade or you finger nail color luster and streak the color when a mineral is ground to a powder.

The six commonest minerals

1. Olivine
2. Quartz 
3. Feldspar
4. Mica
5. Pyroxene
6. Amphibole 

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