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How can I use color to identify a mineral?

Color

Color isn't the best diagnostic tool for some common minerals, but it's great for others. Color can vary due to impurities in the mineral - for example, quartz can be clear, milky, pink (rose quartz), grey (smoky quartz), yellow (citrine), or purple (amethyst). But while you can't rely solely on color to identify a mineral, it does help. A clear mineral won't be hornblende. A pink mineral won't be pyrite.

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