Shale is a type of rock, not a mineral. Streak is used to help classify minerals. It can leave a streak, but it doesn't mean anything.
The colour of the streak left by a mineral is one of the features used to identify it. For instance, haematite leaves a red streak, malachite leaves a light green streak, while quartz, calcite and gypsum all leave a white streak.
The mineral Quartz leaves a colorless streak.
Color is the observable color of a mineral specimen in natural light. Streak is the color of a mineral when powdered. The color of a specific mineral specimen may be different than its streak color. Because many impurities can alter the color of a mineral, but not the streak, streak is a more accurate predictor in mineral identification.
The streak of a mineral can distinguish between two samples that have the same color. The streak is often a different color. To test streak, use a streak plate. This is a piece of unglazed porcelain, like the back side of a tile.
Those minerals that are harder than the unglazed porcelain streak plate will scratch it rather than leave a streak.
Graphite is a mineral that does not leave a clear streak.
The lack of a streak would indicate that the mineral is harder than the streak plate, or the color of the streak is the same as the color of the streak plate.
Diamond will not leave a streak on a porcelain streak plate because diamond is harder than the streak plate. It will leave a scratch on the streak plate for the same reason.
The colour of the streak left by a mineral is one of the features used to identify it. For instance, haematite leaves a red streak, malachite leaves a light green streak, while quartz, calcite and gypsum all leave a white streak.
Nickel leaves a silver-gray streak. Note that nickel is an element.
Minerals with a hardness greater than around 7 on the Mohs hardness scale will not leave a streak on a standard unglazed porcelain streak plate. They will instead scratch and powder the streak plate.
It leaves a scratch instead of a streak because Topaz has a higher number on the Moh's scale compared to the streak plate.
The mineral corundum, with a Mohs hardness of 9, will be harder than a ceramic streak plate and therefore leave no streak.
'streak' is the color that a mineral will leave when rubbed on a piece of unglazed porcelain. It is used to help identify the mineral. For example, arsenopyrite looks very similar to gold, but has a dark grey or black streak. Gold has a yellow streak.
The color of a mineral in powdered form is called the mineral's Streak
Graphite
A streak test is used to determine a minerals streak color. This can help in with the identification of minerals. A streak test is performed by rubbing the mineral on an unglazed ceraminc tile, then observing the color of the streak which is left behind. All minerals do not leave streaks. Harder minerals will not streak, but this can also be used as a tool for identifying the mineral, if you are familiar with the hardness scale.