Junior Rockhounds: Mineral Identification

We will continue to learn how to identify minerals.

Location: Howell Library 318 Old Tavern Rd, Howell, NJ

Post Event Write-Up:

Jr Rockhounds/ Mini miners/ Rock-ettes/ Rock pups
Meeting Minutes December 5, 2023

Board members:  Will, Ryan, Dave and Julia for set up at Howell library
10 children (6 boys, 7 girls), 6? families, 6 parents, 3 sibs < age 7  (2 sibs joined the class tables and had their own homemade box and picked up samples)
Attendance sign in sheet showed: 8 registered children, Strauss family there but Jacquelyn absent

Will and Ryan gave lesson plan. Dave assisted on checking that children were placing specimens in correct box.   Julia assisted with child box name showing, photos, minutes, and reminders.  Ryan took photos also.

Tables configured in U shape for kids to sit.  One table at front for rock-a-polooza.   Each child’s shoebox pointed toward instructor with the child’s name showing.  Parents and siblings had chairs on sides.  Table with coloring pages and crayons.  Two sibs sat at U table and received rock samples.

Handouts:  4
Mineral Properties (title) defines color, streak, hardness, cleavage, crystalline structure, amount of transparency, tenacity, magnetism, luster, odor, taste, specific gravity, fluorescence
Mica (at top of sheet) lists 10 minerals w/ color, cleavage, hardness, specific gravity, luster, streak and miscellaneous properties
Table of 20 minerals and locations where they are found
A grid of 20 empty boxes corresponding to the table (see #3)

Meeting beginning:  Will sold UV flashlights for people
Each child has a Ziploc bag to collect one of 20 minerals at the front table.  

Will began with the Mineral Properties handout and showed fluorite specimens in the many colors it comes in (14 samples in a flat).
Identifying the 20 rocks
Obsidian-glassy, vitreous, luster
Mica- transparency, one in their collection is special variation,
Eastonite-location
2 blue rocks use scratch test, find Sodalite, UV light
2 red rocks- hardness, fingernail scratch, streak tile scratching, passed out safety glasses, diluted muriatric acid test fizzes, adults wiped rock dry
Orange and honey calcite-scratch test
Magnetic rocks- use magnets in kit to test
Specific gravity passes 2 rocks around to test weight vs size
Sulfur- distinctive smell, pyrite or fool’s gold has same smell as sulfur
Salt- taste
Selenite- white, long rock, see flashlight goes through it from end to end
Satin spar gypsum-transparency
Desert rose is another gypsum
Amethyst- purple rock
Quartz- 2 kinds darker and lighter, color, hardness, Citrine (brownish yellow, glossier) and Golden quartz (orange grapefruit color)
Limonite- dice, cube shape, aka”devil’s dice”

 

Next meeting:  Tuesday, January 9, 2024 at Howell Library from 7pm to 8pm  FOSSILS badge