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Minerals with a metallic luster look like metal and are opaque. Examples include galena, pyrite, and magnetite.

Vitreous minerals have a glass-like luster and are typically translucent to transparent. Examples include quartz, amethyst, and tourmaline.

Minerals with a dull or earthy luster have a lack of shine and reflectivity, resembling earth or chalk. Examples include kaolinite, limonite, and bauxite.

Pearly minerals have an iridescent luster similar to pearls or the inside of a seashell. Examples include talc and some forms of mica.

Silky luster minerals have a fibrous appearance and sheen like silk. Example: serpentine, gypsum (satin spar variety), and ulexite.

Minerals with a greasy luster appear as if they are coated in oil. Examples include nepheline, opal, and some specimens of jadeite.

An adamantane luster is bright and brilliant, often seen in gems with high refractive indexes. Examples include diamond, cerussite, and sphalerite.

Minerals with a resinous luster look like they are made of resin with a plastic-like sheen. Examples include sphalerite, amber, and copal.

Submetallic minerals have a less brilliant reflection than metallic minerals and are often darker and opaque. Examples include hematite, cuprite, and ilmenite.