Mineral Lab

Before the meeting:

1. Buy or find at least two minerals to be tested.
2. Prepare a mineral testing kit for yourself and test it out.
3. Set up meeting space for Cub Scouts to have room to work.

During the meeting:

1. Tell Cub Scouts that they will be testing for minerals. The Earth contains many useful minerals. Some, like silica (sand), are easy to see and collect. Others, like iron and zinc, are found in rocks. There are three categories of useful minerals: metals, nonmetallic minerals, and fuels.
2. Ask them to open their Webelos handbook to page 217. They will be using the Mohs Hardness Scale to examine the minerals.
3. Demonstrate how to test for a mineral:
   • Scratch the tile with your mineral to determine the “streak” of the mineral. The streak is the color of the resulting powder. It’s usually a more consistent color than the apparent color of the mineral. You can refer to a mineral identification chart to find out what minerals have this streak.
   • Use the eyedropper to put a drop of vinegar on the mineral. If the vinegar fizzes, that means the mineral contains calcium carbonate.
   • Test the hardness of the mineral by trying to scratch it, in order, with your fingernail, the penny, and the file or knife. Then, try to scratch the file or knife and the glass with the mineral. Refer to the chart to determine the mineral’s hardness. For example, if you can scratch the mineral with your fingernail, it measures 1 or 2 on the scale. If the mineral can scratch the file, it measures at least 7 on the scale.
4. Pass out the minerals and have Cub Scouts test.
5. Ask them what minerals they have found. Where could their mineral be used?