THE COLLECTION OF MINERALS. 



[ntroduction. 



Minerals, in the broad sense in which science uses the term, 

 include the air, the natural gases, water and the results of change 

 in plant structures, such as coal, oil and resins. More popularly 

 defined, minerals arc those stony components of the earth which 



to be found in its rocks and their crevices and which present 

 similarity to one another in such characteristics as color, form 

 and hardness. Most observers can easily separate Quartz from 

 Calcite. In making the separation they associate with the idea 



)uartz a certain lustre and hardness, a peculiar brittle and 

 irregular fracture and, when the mineral is crystallized, a typical 

 form quite in contrast with the same features in Calcite. A 

 brilliant lemon-yellow crystal, or even a compact mass of Sulphur, 



uite distinct in appearance from a greasy, black crystal or 



dar ]>i<. Graphite. The obvious physical characters of 



one , rent from those of the other that the most cursory 



mination serves to distinguish them as independent sub- 

 star. 



h striking contrasts, however, do not exist generally in the 

 mineral kingdom, and the observer usually is obliged to 

 more than a superficial examination to a mineral specimen in 

 termine what it is. Most of the common minerals 

 may be differentia' with blowpipe and file, but 



all tl . and they form by far the largest part of the whole 



nun must be examined by more elaborate chemical 



and | for the- : nation. 



minerals to which this Guide Leaflet i 

 intr unpreto annol be 



ntation mineral kingdom. 



