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Dig Into Geology > Print Free Rock & Mineral Identification Flow Charts > Mineral Identification Flow Chart

Mineral Identification Flow Chart


You can download and use our Mineral Identification Flow Chart for another fun way of identifying the minerals in many of your Mini Me Geology kits.  The link to download and print your free mineral identification flow chart is located at the top of this page.


HOW TO USE THIS IDENTIFICATION FLOW CHART

We have designed this mineral flow chart to help you identify your samples since some can look very similar. To use our Mineral Identification Flow Chart, it will be easiest if you print out your own copy first. The flow chart moves from left to right, following the arrows.

Step 1: Select a Mineral - Choose a mineral that you want and place it on the “Mineral to Identify” block.

Step 2: Test the color of the streak. - If you see a colored streak move your sample to the “Colored Streak” block on the upper portion of the flow chart. If you see a white streak or no streak at all (colorless streak) move your mineral to the lower streak box marked “White or Colorless Streak.”

Step 3: Determine the Color – The next step is to decide the color of your mineral. Some minerals can be a variety of colors so choose the color that most closely matches your sample. Some minerals can be identified after this step. If the mineral has no additional special features, the arrow should direct you to the mineral’s name. If the mineral does have special features that will help distinguish it from other samples, you will need to perform additional tests. Remember, minerals can be many different colors so check all possibilities!

Step 4: Test Special Features – To test the special features listed on the chart, you may need to gather some household items such as a paperclip and some vinegar. Kids, get an adult to help you with the vinegar. Many of the special features can been seen by looking through your hand magnifier. Sometimes, the special features are needed to identify your mineral, other times, the special features are simply fun to see. Kids, if you think you have Halite, let an adult do the taste test! See how they react when it tastes like salt!

Follow these steps for each of your mineral samples until you identify them all. You can learn more about testing a minerals hardness with this article at Dig Into Geology.  If you need help, grab an adult and give us a call.


CONGRATULATIONS!

YOU DID A GREAT JOB IDENTIFYING YOUR NEW MINERALS.
YOU ARE A TRUE MINI ME GEOLOGIST!