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Mineralati

How to Identify Minerals

A practical sequence: lustre, colour, streak, hardness, cleavage and habit.

Mineral identification is a process of elimination. Record lustre first (metallic vs non-metallic), then streak on unglazed porcelain, then Mohs hardness relative to common references, then cleavage versus fracture.

Colour alone is unreliable for many species. Chemical tests should only be done with proper training and safety equipment.