Minerals with Metallic Luster

Minerals with metallic luster

Searching for the list of minerals with metallic luster ? Here it is… Along with formula, color, crystal system, uses and other properties.

So before starting, let’s know what minerals & metallic luster mean.


What are minerals ?

Minerals are solid substances that are present in nature and can be made of one element or more elements combined together (chemical compounds).
Gold, Silver and carbon are elements that form minerals on their own. They are called native elements. Instead, ordinary kitchen salt is a chemical compound that is called rock salt, which is a mineral formed of sodium and chlorine ions.

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What is metallic luster ?

Luster is what we perceive, when a photon strikes a materials which is mainly made of elements which has 1 to 3 electrons upon its shell.

Elements that have 1 to 3 valence electrons are metals. Material created on this type of materials produce luster.

Elements that have 4 outer electrons are the semi metals, example is silicon and carbon. Material made using this elements does not have luster like metals have. Semi metals have properties between metals and non metals, and we used them on semiconductors.

5 to 8 outer electrons are non metals, some exist as gas, some exist as solids, which does not produce luster.

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Now here the list of Minerals with Metallic Luster starts.

1. Graphite Mineral

graphite mineral with metallic luster

Formula :- graphite (C)

Color :- black to gray

Crystal System :- hexagonal

Uses & other Properties :- pencil lead, lubricants for locks, rods to control some small nuclear reactions, battery poles


2. Silver Mineral

silver mineral with metallic luster

Formula :- silver (Ag)

Color :- silvery white, tarnishes to black

Crystal System :- cubic

Uses & other Properties :- coins, fillings for teeth, jwellery, silver-plate, wires; malleable and ductile


3. Galena Mineral

galena mineral with metallic luster

Formula :- silver (Ag)

Color :- gray

Crystal System :- cubic

Uses & other Properties :- source of lead, used in pipes, shield for X-rays, fishing equipment sinkers.


4. Gold Mineral

gold mineral with metallic luster

Formula :- gold (Au)

Color :- pale to golden yellow

Crystal System :- cubic

Uses & other Properties :- jwellery, money, gold leaf, fillings for teeth, medicines; does not tarnish.


5. Bornite Mineral

bornite mineral with metallic luster

Formula :- bornite [Cu5FeS4]

Color :- bronze, tarnishes to dark blue, purple.

Crystal System :- tetragonal

Uses & other Properties :- source of copper; called “peacock ore” because of the purple shine when it tarnishes.


6. Copper Mineral – mineral with metallic luster

copper mineral

Formula :- copper (Cu)

Color :- copper red

Crystal System :- cubic

Uses & other Properties :- coins, pipes, gutters, wire, cooking utensils, jwellery, decorative plaques; malleable and ductile.


7. Chalcopyrite Mineral

chalcopyrite mineral with metallic luster

Formula :- chalcopyrite (CuFeS2)

Color :- brassy to golden yellow

Crystal System :- tetragonal

Uses & other Properties :- main ore of copper


8. Chromite Mineral – mineral with metallic luster

chromite mineral

Formula :- chromite (FeCr2O4)

Color :- black or brown

Crystal System :- cubic

Uses & other Properties :- ore of chromium, stainless steal, metallurgical bricks.


9. Pyrrhotite Mineral

Pyrrhotite mineral

Formula :- pyrrhotite (FeS)

Color :- bronze

Crystal System :- hexagonal

Uses & other Properties :-often found with pentlandite, an ore of nickel; may be magnetic


10. Haematite Mineral – mineral with metallic luster

Haematite mineral

Formula :- haematite (specular) (Fe2O3)

Color :- black or reddish brown

Crystal System :- hexagonal

Uses & other Properties :- source of iron; roasted in a blast furnace, converted to “pig”iron, made into steel.


11. Magnetite Mineral

magnetite mineral with metallic luster

Formula :- magnetite (Fe3O4)

Color :- black

Crystal System :- cubic

Uses & other Properties :- source of iron, naturally magnetic, called lodestone.


12. Pyrite Mineral

pyrite mineral with metallic luster

Formula :- pyrite(FeS2)

Color :- light, brassy, yellow

Crystal System :- cubic

Uses & other Properties :-source of iron, “fools’s gold”alters to limonite.


13. Fluorite Mineral

fluorite mineral with metallic luster

Formula :- fluorite (CaF2)

Color :- colourless, white, blue, green, red, yellow, purple

Crystal System :- cubic

Uses & other Properties :- used in the manufacture of optical equipment; glows under Ultraviolet light.


14. Limonite Mineral – mineral with metallic luster

limonite mineral

Formula :- limonite (hydrous iron oxides)

Color :- yellow, brown, black

Crystal System :- —-

Uses & other Properties :- source of iron; weathers easily coloring matter of soils.


15. Hornblende Mineral – mineral with metallic luster

hornblende mineral

Formula :- hornblende [ CaNa(Mg, Al, Fe)5(Al, Si)2Si6O22(OH)2 ]

Color :- green to black

Crystal System :- monoclinic

Uses & other Properties :- Will transmit light on thin edges; 6-sided cross section.


16. Feldspar (Orthoclase) Mineral

orthoclase feldspar mineral

Formula :- feldspar (orthoclase) (KAlSi3O8)

Color :- colourless, white to gray, green and yellow

Crystal System :- monoclinic

Uses & other Properties :- insoluble in acids; used in the manufacture of porcelain.


17. Feldspar (Plagioclase) Mineral

plagioclase feldspar mineral

Formula :- feldspar (plagioclase) (NaAlSi3O8) (CaAl2Si2O8)

Color :- gray, green, white

Crystal System :- triclinic

Uses & other Properties :- used in ceramics; striations present on some faces.


18. Augite Mineral – mineral with metallic luster

Augite mineral with metallic luster

Formula :- augite (Ca,Na)(Mg,Fe,Al,Ti)(Si,Al)2O6

Color :- black

Crystal System :- monoclinic

Uses & other Properties :- square or 8-sided cross section.


19. Olivine Mineral – mineral with metallic luster

olivine mineral

Formula :- olivine [ (Mg, Fe)2SiO4 ]

Color :- olivegreen

Crystal System :- ortho-rhombic

Uses & other Properties :- gemstones, refractory sand.


20. Quartz Mineral

quartz mineral with metallic luster

Formula :- quartz (SiO2)

Color :- colorless, various colors

Crystal System :- hexagonal

Uses & other Properties :- used in glass manufacture, electronic equipment, radios, computers, watches, gemstones.


21. Garnet Mineral – mineral with metallic luster

garnet mineral

Formula :- garnet (Mg, Fe, Ca)3(Al2Si3O12)

Color :- deep yellow-red, green, black

Crystal System :- cubic

Uses & other Properties :- used in jwellery, also used as an abrasive.


22. Topaz Mineral

topaz mineral

Formula :- topaz [ (Al2SiO4)(F, OH)2 ]

Color :- white, pink, yellow, pale blue, colorless

Crystal System :- ortho-rhombic

Uses & other Properties :- valuable gemstone


23. Corundum Mineral

corundum mineral  with metallic luster

Formula :- corundum (Al2O3)

Color :- pink, red, white, brown, green, blue, colorless

Crystal System :- hexagonal

Uses & other Properties :- gemstones; ruby is red, sapphire is blue; industrial abrasive.


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