lustre


lustre

In mineralogy, the appearance of a mineral surface in terms of its light-reflecting qualities. Lustre depends on a mineral's refractivity (see refraction), transparency, and structure. Variations in these properties produce different kinds of lustre, from metallic (e.g., gold) to dull (e.g., chalk).

This entry comes from Encyclopædia Britannica Concise.
For the full entry on lustre, visit Britannica.com.

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