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Glossary of Rock and Mineral Terms - H

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habit
The attributes of the appearance of a crystal or aggregate.
hackley fracture
Type of fracture resembling broken metal, exhibiting sharp, jagged surfaces. This fracture is sometimes known as "jagged" fracture
halides
Group of minerals containing one of the halogen elements (chlorine, fluorine, bromine, and iodine) as a building block. Most halides are soft and fragile, and some are soluble in water. Many crystallize in the isometric system.
half-life
The time necessary for half of the atoms of a parent isotope to decay into the daughter isotope.
halogen
Five chemically related elements belong in the halogen group. They are astatine, bromine, chlorine, fluorine, and iodine. Minerals that are composed of the halogen elements are known as halides.
hardness
The degree of resistance of a given mineral to scratching, indicating the strength of the bonds that hold the mineral's atoms together. The hardness of a mineral is measured by rubbing it with substances of known hardness.
hardness testing kit
Kit composed of minerals or rods with labeled harnesses used to scratch a mineral to test its hardness.
hard water
Water rich in calcium.
HCl
Abbreviation and chemical formula of hydrochloric acid.
headland
A cliff that projects out from a coast into deep water.
heat treated
describes a mineral or gem put under intense heat to enhance color or remove flaws.
hemimorphic
describes doubly terminated crystal with two differently shaped ends.
hexagon
Polyhedron with six sides and a top and bottom base.
hexagonal crystal system
Any mineral that falls under the following specifications belongs to the hexagonal crystal system: Four axes, three are equal in length and lie at an angle of 120° from each other. The fourth is either longer or shorter but must be at a right angle toward the other corners.
hexagonal bipyramid (al)
Synonym of bipyramidal hexagon
Holocene Epoch
The second epoch of the Quaternary Period, beginning approximately 10,000 years ago and continuing to the pres-ent time. See also Pleistocene Epoch.
hook
A spit that curves sharply at its coastal end.
hopper
Crystal form exhibiting an indenting, terraced, structure penetrating towards the center.
horn
A high mountain peak that forms when the walls of three or more cirques intersect.
hornfels
A hard, dark-colored, dense metamorphic rock that forms from the intrusion of magma into shale or basalt.
horst
A block of rock that lies between two faults and has moved upward relative to the two adjacent fault blocks. See also graben.
host mineral
Mineral that is the chief constituent of a particular rock.
hot spot
An area in the upper mantle, ranging from 100 to 200 kilometers in width, from which magma rises in a plume to form volcanoes. A hot spot may endure for 10 million years or more.
hydrate
To absorb water and construct it as part of the crystal lattice.
hydration
The addition of water into a minerals' chemical structure.
hydraulic conductivity
The extent to which a given substance allows water to flow through it, determined by such factors as sorting and grain size and shape.
hydraulic gradient
The difference in potential between two points, divided by the lateral distance between the points.
hydraulic lifting
The erosion of a stream bed by water pressure.
hydrocarbon
A molecule that is entirely made up of hydrogen and carbon.
hydrochloric acid
(HCl) Corrosive acid used mainly for dissolving unwanted substances. It is a very destructive liquid and will destroy many minerals.
hydrofluoric acid
(HF) Corrosive acid used for the production of glass(, since it dissolves glass). It is a very destructive liquid and will some many minerals.
hydrogen bond
An intermolecular bond formed with hydrogen.
hydrologic cycle
The perpetual movement of water among the mantle, oceans, land, and atmosphere of the Earth.
hydrolysis
A form of chemical weathering in which ions from water replace equivalently charged ions from a mineral, especially a silicate.
hydrometallurgy
The separation of metals from ore or from alloys through a process in which a liquid is the primary factor, or the forming of alloys and purification of metals through a process in which a liquid is the primary factor.
hydrothermal
Hydro" means Water and "Thermal" means Heat. Hydrothermal solutions are solutions of hot water arising from underground sources. They may be as cool as cold water or hot as burning hot steam.
hydrothermal deposit
A mineral deposit formed by the precipitation of metallic ions from water ranging in temperature from 50º to 700ºC.
hydrous
Containing water, and in some cases, containing hydroxyl.
hydroxides
Compounds of metallic elements combined with water (H2O) or hydroxyl (OH). The hydroxides are a subgroup of the oxide group.
hydroxyl
Radical composed of hydrogen and oxygen,  formula = (OH).
hygroscopic
Describing a mineral that intakes and retains water from the atmosphere, and forms part of its structure. Hygroscopic minerals should be kept away from humid areas and water, and should preferably be kept in rice or silica gel which absorb moisture, since water can destroy such minerals.
hypothermal vein
Vein created at extreme depths and at a very high temperature.
hypothesis
A tentative explanation of a given set of data that is expected to remain valid after future observation and experimentation.