You Searched For: Minerals and Rocks Learning Activities

+ward’ssciencewardsci.com800-962-2660 Schist Type: Metamorphic; regional. Texture/Appearance: Fine to coarse-grained strongly foliated. Granoblastic grading into porphyrob- lastic with mineral segregation banding usually present. Individual minera...

+ward’ssciencewardsci.com800-962-2660 Gneiss Type: Metamorphic; regional. Texture/Appearance: Foliated often with distinct banding (segregation) of minerals; some preferred orientation in micas (platy) or hornblende (prismatic crystals). Medium to...

+ward’ssciencewardsci.com800-962-2660 Andesite Type: Igneous; extrusive. Texture/Appearance: Generally fine-grained aphanitic. Massive structure often porphyritic with phenocrysts standing out in a vitreous or fine-grained groundmass. Color: Dark ...

+ward’ssciencewardsci.com800-962-2660 Tuff Type: Igneous; extrusive (pyroclastic). Texture/Appearance: Clastic texture with angular rock and mineral fragments and lapilli mixed with fine-grained volcanic ash partly cemented by sedimentary material...

wardsci.com 800-962-2660 Hornblende (CaNa)2-3 (MgFeAl)5 SI6 (SiAl)2 O22 (OH)2 (Amphibole Group) Crystallography: Monoclinic: 2/m. Crystals prismatic usually terminated by {011}. May be columnar to fibrous; coarse-to fine-granular. Physical Propert...

+ward’ssciencewardsci.com800-962-2660 Conglomerate Type: Sedimentary; clastic. Texture/Appearance: Coarse-grained rock containing rounded to subangular clasts of greater than 2mm in diameter scattered in a finer-grained matrix of sand silt and/or ...

+ward’ssciencewardsci.com800-962-2660 Metaconglomerate Type: Metamorphic regional. Texture/Appearance: Coarse-grained rock containing rounded to subangular clasts greater than 2mm in diameter and distributed in a fine-grained matrix or metamorphic...

+ward’ssciencewardsci.com800-962-2660 Apatite Ca5(PO4)3(FClOH) Crystallography: Hexagonal; 6/m. Commonly occurs in crystals of long prismatic habit; also in mas- sive to compact masses. Physical Properties: Cleavage: {0001} poor. Fracture conchoid...

+ward’ssciencewardsci.com800-962-2660 Biotite K (Mg Fe+2)3 (Al Fe+3) Si3 O10 (OHF)2 (Mica Group) Crystallography: Monoclinic; 2/m. Usually in irregular foliated masses and rarely in tabular or short prismatic crystals. Physical Properties: Cleavag...

wardsci.com 800-962-2660 Slate Type: Metamorphic; regional. Texture/Appearance: Fine-grained; lacks mineral segregation banding displays rock cleavage in one direction. Surface may appear somewhat smooth and shiny. Color: Various including dark gr...

+ward’ssciencewardsci.com800-962-2660 Arkose Type: Sedimentary; clastic. Texture/Appearance: Usually coarse-grained sometimes with pebbles. Angular to subangular poorly to moderately well-sorted sand grains. No Fossils. Color: Gray pink or reddish...

+ward’ssciencewardsci.com800-962-2660 Nepheline (NaK) AlSiO4 Crystallography: Hexagonal; 6. Rarely in small prismatic crystals with base; more commonly massive compact and in embedded grains. Physical Properties: Cleavage: {1010} distinct. Fractur...

wardsci.com 800-962-2660 Talc Mg3 Si4 O10 (OH)2 Crystallography: Monoclinic; 2/m. Rarely in crystals; more often in foliated masses or compact fine- grained aggregates. Compact and massive varieties known as steatite or soapstone. Physical Propert...

wardsci.com 800-962-2660 Granite Type: Igneous intrusive. Texture/Appearance: Massive medium to coarse-grained; holocrystalline sometimes porphyritic. Color: White light gray pink or red. Mineralogy/Chemistry: Felsic; composed primarily of quartz ...

wardsci.com 800-962-2660 Forsterite Mg2 Si O4 (Olivine Group) Crystallography: Orthorhombic; 2/m2/m2/m. Rarely in small equidimensional or tabular crystals; usually in granular masses and as rounded grains. Physical Properties: Cleavage: {101} ind...

+ward’ssciencewardsci.com800-962-2660 Skarn Type: Metamorphic; contact. Texture/Appearance: Most often coarse-grained and granoblastic with no foliation. Massive structure with zones of mineral concentration. Color: Varies with mineralogy but usua...