ESS 101 LABORATORY 3B: ADVANCED
MINERAL IDENTIFICATION AND
GEOLOGIC IMPACT QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS WITH VERIFIED
SOLUTIONS. JUST RELEASED
1. Which of the following is NOT a criterion for a substance to be scientifically classified as a
mineral?
A. Naturally occurring
B. Definite chemical composition
C. Solid at room temperature
D. Organic in origin
Answer: D
Conceptual Explanation: By definition, a mineral must be inorganic; substances produced
by biological processes, like coal or pearls, are generally excluded.
2. A mineral exhibits three planes of cleavage intersecting at 90-degree angles. Which
cleavage type does this describe?
A. Cubic
B. Basal
,C. Rhombohedral
D. Prismatic
Answer: A
Conceptual Explanation: Cubic cleavage occurs when there are three sets of cleavage
planes that meet at right angles, as seen in minerals like halite and galena.
3. What is the primary structural unit of all silicate minerals?
A. Calcium-Carbonate Rhombohedron
B. Silicon-Carbon Hexagon
C. Iron-Magnesium Octahedron
D. Silicon-Oxygen Tetrahedron
Answer: D
Conceptual Explanation: The basic building block of silicates is the SiO4 tetrahedron,
consisting of one silicon atom surrounded by four oxygen atoms.
4. Which mineral on the Mohs scale can scratch Quartz but is scratched by Topaz?
A. There is no whole number index between them
B. Orthoclase
C. Corundum
D. Apatite
, Answer: A
Conceptual Explanation: On the Mohs scale, Quartz is 7 and Topaz is 8. There are no other
standard reference minerals between these two whole numbers.
5. Which diagnostic property is most reliable for identifying the mineral Hematite?
A. External color
B. Hardness of 8
C. Red-brown streak
D. Magnetism
Answer: C
Conceptual Explanation: Hematite can appear silver, black, or red externally, but its
streak is consistently a distinctive reddish-brown color.
6. Calcite and Dolomite are both carbonates. How can they be distinguished in a hand sample
test?
A. Dolomite reacts vigorously with cold dilute HCl, while Calcite does not.
B. Calcite reacts vigorously with cold dilute HCl, while Dolomite only reacts if powdered.
C. Calcite is much harder than Dolomite.
D. Dolomite has cubic cleavage, while Calcite is rhombohedral.
Answer: B
MINERAL IDENTIFICATION AND
GEOLOGIC IMPACT QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS WITH VERIFIED
SOLUTIONS. JUST RELEASED
1. Which of the following is NOT a criterion for a substance to be scientifically classified as a
mineral?
A. Naturally occurring
B. Definite chemical composition
C. Solid at room temperature
D. Organic in origin
Answer: D
Conceptual Explanation: By definition, a mineral must be inorganic; substances produced
by biological processes, like coal or pearls, are generally excluded.
2. A mineral exhibits three planes of cleavage intersecting at 90-degree angles. Which
cleavage type does this describe?
A. Cubic
B. Basal
,C. Rhombohedral
D. Prismatic
Answer: A
Conceptual Explanation: Cubic cleavage occurs when there are three sets of cleavage
planes that meet at right angles, as seen in minerals like halite and galena.
3. What is the primary structural unit of all silicate minerals?
A. Calcium-Carbonate Rhombohedron
B. Silicon-Carbon Hexagon
C. Iron-Magnesium Octahedron
D. Silicon-Oxygen Tetrahedron
Answer: D
Conceptual Explanation: The basic building block of silicates is the SiO4 tetrahedron,
consisting of one silicon atom surrounded by four oxygen atoms.
4. Which mineral on the Mohs scale can scratch Quartz but is scratched by Topaz?
A. There is no whole number index between them
B. Orthoclase
C. Corundum
D. Apatite
, Answer: A
Conceptual Explanation: On the Mohs scale, Quartz is 7 and Topaz is 8. There are no other
standard reference minerals between these two whole numbers.
5. Which diagnostic property is most reliable for identifying the mineral Hematite?
A. External color
B. Hardness of 8
C. Red-brown streak
D. Magnetism
Answer: C
Conceptual Explanation: Hematite can appear silver, black, or red externally, but its
streak is consistently a distinctive reddish-brown color.
6. Calcite and Dolomite are both carbonates. How can they be distinguished in a hand sample
test?
A. Dolomite reacts vigorously with cold dilute HCl, while Calcite does not.
B. Calcite reacts vigorously with cold dilute HCl, while Dolomite only reacts if powdered.
C. Calcite is much harder than Dolomite.
D. Dolomite has cubic cleavage, while Calcite is rhombohedral.
Answer: B
