What does luster mean in a mineral?

Answer 1

Luster refers to the appearance of reflected light by a mineral crystal. Luster is categorized as metallic or non-metallic. Metallic luster is highly reflective, like chrome. Non-metallic is further divided by names such as dull, glassy, adamantine, waxy, silky, pearly, and greasy.

Answer 2

The luster of a mineral is the way its surface reflects light. Most terms used to describe luster are self-explanatory: metallic, earthy, waxy, greasy, vitreous (glassy), adamantine (or brilliant, as in a faceted diamond). It will be necessary, at least at first, only to distinguish between minerals with a metallic luster and those with one of the non-metallic lusters. A metallic luster is a shiny, opaque appearance similar to a bright chrome bumper on an automobile. Other shiny, but somewhat translucent or transparent lusters (glassy, adamantine), along with dull, earthy, waxy, and resinous lusters, are grouped as non-metallic.

Answer 3

luster in a mineral is the quality and intensity of light reflected from a mineral's surface

Answer 4

Essentially it means how shiny the mineral is

Answer 5

Luster is a property of minerals which implies there shiny texture.