Table of Contents
Which things can you identify by smell?
Odor Profiling
- Fragrant (e.g. florals and perfumes)
- Fruity (all non-citrus fruits)
- Citrus (e.g. lemon, lime, orange)
- Woody and resinous (e.g. pine or fresh cut grass)
- Chemical (e.g. ammonia, bleach)
- Sweet (e.g. chocolate, vanilla, caramel)
- Minty and peppermint (e.g. eucalyptus and camphor)
Does calcite have a smell?
For example, minerals like halite and calcite have large crystals that form in predictable patterns, magnetite is magnetic, and sulfur smells like rotten eggs.
Why do some minerals smell?
The smell in the sulfide minerals comes from the reaction of oxygen in the air to the sulfur, forming odious scented molecules such as sulfur dioxide (SO2). Arsenic minerals tend to have a garlic scent as is consistent with the element and poison arsenic.
Is calcite magnetic yes or no?
Calcite is easy to identify even without testing the reaction to HCl, by its hardness, luster and cleavage. Another special property is magnetism. This can be tested by seeing if a small magnet responds to the mineral. The most common mineral that is strongly magnetic is the mineral magnetite.
Can you smell minerals?
Obviously, most minerals do not have any noticeable smell but there are a minority that do have a slight to pungent scent- Native arsenic and selenium smell like garlic, decomposing sulfides often have a rotting egg odor, etc. Many organic minerals have odors in large, synthetic amounts.
Are there any minerals that smell like sulfur?
Not all of the smelly sulfide minerals smell like sulfur. There is one mineral that is shiny like pyrite and also contains sulfur and iron like pyrite (plus one other element), but when struck with a hammer or scratched with unglazed porcelain, it smells like garlic!
What kind of mineral smells like garlic and is yellow?
Even if you love garlic in your food, don’t go taking deep whiffs of this mineral because that one other element is arsenic. This mineral is called arsenopyrite, a pale yellow pyrite lookalike. The garlic smell is actually the smell of arsenic trihydride, better known as arsine gas.
What kind of rock does a hot needle test smell like?
Black plastic will smell like burning plastic, and black gemstones like onyx and hematite will not smell at all after being poked with a hot needle. The hot needle test will leave a little pit on the surface of the jet, so it’s not a good idea to try this on your grandmother’s antique Victorian brooch.
How can taste be used to identify minerals?
Taste – Taste can be used to help identify some minerals, such as halite (salt). Acid reaction – Object reacts to hydrochloric acid. The most distinguishing characteristic of calcite is that it effervesces when hydrochloric acid is applied. Dolomite shows a reaction on a freshly broken or powdered surface.