- Home
- Rocks
- Type fossils
- Fossil Specimens
- Minerals
- Glossary
- Stratigraphic Chart
- Michel-Levy Chart
- Classification of igneous rocks
- University of Cambridge
- Department of Earth Sciences
- ESC Library
- Moodle
- Sedgwick Museum
- DoITPoMS
- Mindat.org
- Microfossils
- Bryozoans
- Webmineral
- Tree of Life
- CrystalMaker
- Virtual Microscope
Browse Items (264 total)
Sort by:
Garnet
Formula
(Mg,Fe,Ca)3Al2Si3O12
Structure
Orthosilicate
Crystal System
Crystal system: cubic
Physical Properties
Colour in hand specimen: typically redCleavage: noneHardness: 6-7.5
Optical Properties
Colour in plane polarised…
Tags: metamorphism, metapelite
Epidote
Formula
Ca2Al2O∙(Al,Fe3+)OH[Si2O7][SiO4]
Structure
Orthosilicate
Crystal System
Crystal system: monoclinic (-)
Physical Properties
Colour in hand specimen: greenCleavage: one, perfectHardness: 6
Optical Properties
Colour in plane…
Tags: low grade, medium grade, secondary
Tourmaline
Formula
(Na,Ca)(Mg,Fe,Mn,Li,Al)3(Al,Mg,Fe3+)6[Si6O18](BO3)3(O,OH)3(OH,F)
Structure
Ring silicate
Crystal System
Crystal system: trigonal (-)
Physical Properties
Colour in hand specimen: blackHardness: 7
Optical Properties
Colour in…
Tags: granite, metapelite, pegmatite
Orthopyroxene
Formula
(Mg,Fe)2Si2O6
Structure
Chain silicate
Crystal System
Crystal system: orthorhombic (+) (-)
Physical Properties
Colour in hand specimen: black Cleavage: two at 90° Hardness: 5-6
Optical Properties
Colour in plane polarised…
Tags: mafic
Clinopyroxene (augite)
Formula
(Ca,Mg,Fe2+,Fe3+,Ti,Al)2[(Si,Al)2O6]
Structure
Chain silicate
Crystal System
Crystal system: monoclinic (+)
Physical Properties
Colour in hand specimen: black Cleavage: two at 90° Hardness: 5.5-6
Optical Properties
Colour in…
Tags: mafic, ultramafic
Amphibole (hornblende)
Formula
(Na,K)0-1Ca2(Mg,Fe2+,Fe3+,Al)5Si6-7.5Al2-0.5O22(OH)2
Structure
Chain silicate
Crystal System
Crystal system: monoclinic (+) (-)
Physical Properties
Colour in hand specimen: black Cleavage: two at ~56° Hardness: 5-6
Optical…
Tags: igneous, metabasite
Mica, muscovite
Formula
K2Al4[Si6Al2O20](OH,F)4
Structure
Sheet silicate
Crystal System
Crystal system: monoclinic (-)
Physical Properties
Colour in hand specimen: colourless Cleavage: one, good Hardness: 2.5-3
Optical Properties
Colour in plane…
Tags: basal, cleavage, igneous, metapelite
Mica, biotite
Formula
K2(Mg,Fe2+)6-4(Fe3+,Al,Ti)0-2[Si6-5Al2-3O20](OH,F)4
Structure
Sheet silicate
Crystal System
Crystal system: monoclinic (-)
Physical Properties
Colour in hand specimen: brown or black Cleavage: one, good Hardness: 2-3
Optical…
Tags: basal, cleavage, igneous, metapelite
Chlorite
Formula
(Mg,Fe2+,Fe3+,Mn,Al)12[(Si,Al)8O20](OH)16
Structure
Sheet silicate
Crystal System
Crystal system: monoclinic (+) (-)
Physical Properties
Colour in hand specimen: green Cleavage: one, good Hardness: 2-3
Optical…
Tags: alteration, metamorphism
Serpentine
Formula
Mg3[Si2O5](OH)4
Structure
Sheet silicate
Crystal System
Crystal system: monoclinic or orthorhombic (-)
Optical Properties
Serpentine is commonly very fine-grained. It can be recognised by its textural association with olivine…
Tags: alteration, hydration, olivine