Lustre (mineralogy)

Lustre (or luster) is the way light interacts with the surface of a crystal, rock, or mineral. The word traces its origins back to the latin lux, meaning “light”, and generally implies radiance, gloss, or brilliance. A range of terms are used to describe lustre, such as earthy, metallic, greasy, and silky. Similarly, the term vitreous (derived from the Latin for glass, vitrum) refers to a glassy lustre. A list of these terms is given below.