certain appearance of a smooth surface depends upon the quality and amount of reflected and refracted light known as luster. The highest degree of luster in metals and opaque minerals is splendent such as hematite, and for transparent minerals being adamantine. Also spelled lustre. There are several types of luster, which are listed: adamantine (luster); a term used to describe typical diamond luster. Possessed only by mineral of high refractive index. Subadamantine (luster); a luster degree between adamantine and resinous luster such as demantoid garnet. Dull (luster); a term applied to the degree of luster of minerals, means lacking or total absence of luster. Also known as dull. Glimmering (luster); denotes a still more feeble luster. Also called glistening. Glistening (luster); → glimmering (luster). Metallic (luster); the most brilliant can be seen by certain opaque minerals, such as gold, and crystalline hematite. Pearly (luster); such as pearl, moonstone, mother-of-pearl, etc. Resinous...
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© 2009 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg New York
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(2009). luster. In: Manutchehr-Danai, M. (eds) Dictionary of Gems and Gemology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-72816-0_13575
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