Mineral ID

[Mineral Master]

Hey all I found this mineral on one side its fluorite(sorry don't have that side in the pic) But the other side has this mineral [attachment 342964 pictrure.jpg]

 

[Mineral Master]

Sorry what is it?

 

[Johnho]

If you're talking about the yellow material under the purple fluorite it's fluorite also. If you talking about that crusty stuff put some diluted HCL (10% HCL) on it and see if it fizzes. If it does it's probable a limestone. If it doesn't I have no idea with getting my hands on it.

 

[Champ Ferguson]

calcite is often found with fluorite.

 

[Mineral Master]

Does Calcite come in this color?

 

[Mineral Master]

I also found so Mica crusting the yellow mineral if that helps

 

[Champ Ferguson]

Does Calcite come in this color?

yes.
where did you find the sample? that could say a lot.

eta: another place you may want to ask if you aren't satisfied with what we can speculate, is the McRocks board. http://mcrocks.websitetoolbox.com/categories

 

[Mineral Master]

Well I found in a field, near where some construction had recently taken place. Sooooo is it calcite, or fluorite? And should i try and remove the limestone on it?

Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children's children what it was once like in the United States where men were free. –Ronald Reagan

 

[Champ Ferguson]

No , I mean where like "eastern Tennessee or central Missouri". That'll tell us about what is normally found in the area. Certain rocks tend be found together.

To tell calcite v fluorite, you can look at the cleavage or the hardness. http://geology.com/minerals/mohs-hardness-scale.shtml

Your call for what you'd like to have, but I wouldn't remove the limestone. Its a nice looking specimen as it is imo.

 

[Mineral Master]

Found it in South eastern Wisconsin in the Waukesha area.

 

[Champ Ferguson]

This link do you any good?
https://wgnhs.uwex.edu/minerals/fluorite/
Do any hardness tests yet?

 

[Johnho]

Drop some HCL on it then. If it fizzes it's calcite but I've seen too many samples like this to think it's calcite. Could be but doubt it. Also calcite is slightly softer than fluorite, if you have a piece of calcite see if the purple fluorite scratches the yellow stuff. Be careful you don't mistake the residue left by the fluorite as a scratch on the calcite. Make sure there is really a scratch.

 

[Mineral Master]

Ok I'll try

 

[Mineral Master]

OK I tried scratching the yellow stuff with a different piece of fluorite that I had, it didn't leave a scratch on either mineral. Does this mean its fluorite as well?

 

[Champ Ferguson]

Most likey, yes.

But please believe that IDing from just a picture on the internet isn't an exact science. If you have a local college with a geology department or even just a professor, take it there and ask them to be certain.

 

[Mineral Master]

OK thank you