LUSTRE (MINERALOGY)

'Lustre' (American English: 'luster') is a description of the way light interacts with the surface of a crystal, rock, or mineral. For example, a diamond is said to have an ''adamantine'' lustre and pyrite is said to have a ''metallic'' lustre.
The word ''luster'' traces its origins back to the Latin word ''lux'', meaning "light", and generally implies radiance, gloss, or brilliance.
Other descriptive terms used for gems include ''vitreous'', like glass; ''resinous'', like amber; ''waxy'', like jade; ''greasy'', like soapstone; ''pearly''; and ''silky''.
The term is also used to describe other items with a particular sheen (for example, fabric, especially silk and satin, or metals).

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See also

See also

★ Hornblende for a description of lustrous ores