Minerals Topics

Mineral Identification (Part 7)

Acid Reaction

Some minerals react to acid.  Carbonate minerals, including calcite and dolomite, are the most common minerals that react to acid.  Calcite, for example, fizzes when dilute hydrocholoric acid is applied to it.



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Striations

Striations are tiny, straight, parallel grooves on some cleavage faces of minerals.  Some quartz crystal faces, for example, show striations.

Striations
This quartz crystal cluster exhibits striations (oval), the parallel grooves on some crystal faces. (Photograph by Parvinder Seithi)

 



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