geology McAfee SECURE sites help keep you safe from identity theft, credit card fraud, spyware, spam, viruses and online scams

Home » Minerals » Graphite

Graphite


Mineral Properties and Uses



Physical Properties of Graphite

Uses pencil lead, oil, lubricant
Color black
Streak black
Luster dull metallic
Diaphaneity opaque
Cleavage perfect
Mohs Hardness 1 - 2
Specific Gravity 2.1 - 2.3
Distinguishing Characteristics color, streak, feel, specific gravity
Crystal System hexagonal


Graphite in schist
Graphite in schist from Essex County, New York. Specimen is approximately 5 inches (12.7 centimeters) across.


Graphite in schist
Graphite in schist from Essex County, New York. Specimen is approximately 5 inches (12.7 centimeters) across.


More from Geology.com

sunstone
Sunstone: a feldspar with aventurescence caused by light reflecting from platy inclusions.
  volcanic explosivity index
Volcanic Explosivity: Rating volcanic eruptions based upon the volume of tephra ejected.
salt glacier
Salt Glaciers are masses of salt that flow downslope under their own weight.
  maar
What is a Maar? The second most common volcanic landscape feature on Earth.
what are minerals?
Minerals are the building blocks of our society. We use items made with them every day.
  diorite
Rocks Galleries of  igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rock photos.


Graphite
Graphite from Madagascar. These are grain size flakes of graphite.




Graphite chunk
Graphite from Kropfmuhl, Austria. Specimen is approximately 1-1/2 inches (3.8 centimeters) across.


Mount Rainier Volcanic Hazards
East Africa Rift
Vesuvius
Mineral Rights
The Only Diamond Mine in the USA
Types of Volcanic Eruptions
Largest Eruption of the 20th Century
Teaching Plate Tectonics with Drawings


© 2005-2013 Geology.com. All Rights Reserved.
Images, code and content of this website are property of Geology.com. Use without permission is prohibited. Pages on this site are protected by Copyscape.