Color
Identifying Mineral
Characteristics
When light strikes the surface
of a mineral, some wavelengths are absorbed and some are reflected. The
color seen results from the combination of reflected wavelenghts of light.
Color is usually determined by the chemical composition of the minerals,
although surface characteristics like luster and texture can also affect
color.
It is important to note
that color alone is not a dependable characteristic to use in identifying
minerals. Many minerals exhibit a wide range of colors, sometimes even
in the same specimen. Quartz, feldspar, fluorite, and calcite are examples
of minerals that have many different colors.
Follow these steps to Identify
Your Minerals:
Getting
Started
Color
Hardness
Streak
Luster
Cleavage
Rock
Samples
