Color, Luster, Cleavage

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Color, Luster, Cleavage
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Color

• Color is generally not a good way of identifying
  minerals
• Color can change with...
• Temperature or weather
• Example copper
• Impurities in the rock
• Example quartz

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Luster

• Luster The way the mineral looks when light is
  on it
• There are two major categories of luster
• Metallic shiny surface, looks like metal
• Non-metallic surface doesnt look like metal

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Types of non-metallic lusters

• Non-metallic lusters
• Vitreous- looks glassy or shiny (but not
  metallic shiny)
• Silky- looks silky or swirly
• Waxy- looks greasy or oily
• Dull- looks rough or earthy
• Pearly- looks pearly
• Resinous- looks like plastic

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Cleavage and fracture

• Cleavage and fracture The way a mineral breaks
  apart
• Fracture no real pattern when it breaks
• Cleavage breaks along a distinct line into flat
  surfaces