how would you distinguish the following on the basis of physical properties? feldsbar/quartz, muscovite/feldsp

Answer 1

Quartz has a hexagonal prism shape and it has a hardness of about 7. No cleavage, just conchoidal fracture.

Muscovite mica is light coloured and breaks off into think sheets because of its basal cleavage. Biotite mica is similar but it tends to be dark brown or black.