Different minerals have different characteristic properties, which means that it is possible to distinguish between them. These properties are among other  things their colour, gloss, magnetism, density, hardness and their reaction to acid. With a small amount of practice it is easy to determine these properties in the field using a few accesories.

Bjarne Ljungdahl from Stenklubben in 2005 published the mineral guide "Prospecting for Amateures" (Greenlandic and Danish). The mineral guide was sponsored by the Greenland Home Rule - the Bureau of Minerals and Petroleum. In the guide book there are guidelines to identifying minerals and rocks and a description of some of the most common ore minerals.

In 1997 the Greenland Home Rule published a folder with further guidance on how to recognise minerals (in Greenlandic and Danish).

Moreover the Greenland Home Rule published in 1996 a folder with guidance on gold panning (in Greenlandic and Danish).

You can download the mineral guide and the folders by clicking on the picures on the right hand side of this page.

It can, however, sometimes be difficult to distinguish the different minerals and it can therefore be useful to make use of reference books, mineral encyclopedias etc. There are many websites with information about minerals and their proporties. 

You can find links to websites with information about minerals and rocks her.