|
Mineral Characteristic |
What the
mineralogists say |
Kid's Guide: What it REALLY
means! |
| Chemical Symbol |
KAl2(AlSi3O10)(F,
OH)2 |
It has potassium,
oxygen, silicon, aluminum, fluorine, and hydrogen in it. |
| Color |
White or gray |
It is
found mostly in these two colors but it can be found in
others, too. |
| Streak |
colorless |
If you
crush this mineral—no matter what color it is—it will
form a colorless dust. |
| Transparency |
Transparent to
translucent |
Light
will go through it anywhere from clearly to blurrily.
You might be able to see through thin pieces of it.
|
| Luster |
Vitreous to pearly |
It would
look glassy or pearly if you shined a light on it. |
| Cleavage |
Perfect |
If you
break this mineral, it will split into sheets or layers. |
| Fracture |
Uneven but not seen
often |
When
this breaks, it usually doesn’t fracture into tiny
pieces. |
| Magnetism |
None |
It will not attract, or
be attracted to, a magnet. |
| Hardness |
2.5 |
You can
scratch it with your fingernail so it isn’t very hard. |
| Specific gravity |
2.8 |
If you
compared it to an equal volume of water, it would be
about average. If you held it in your hand, it would
seem to be about an average weight for its size. |
| Crystal Shape |
Monoclinic |
 |
