EL COLOR DE LOS MINERALES

Color is one of the physical properties of minerals used for their identification. Petrogenetic minerals do not have intense colors, and few exhibit bright, striking colors. Colors are especially striking in some mines and spoil heaps, particularly those containing iron and copper ores. This video shows how the color of minerals can be due to various factors, such as their chemical composition, the presence of chromophores, their crystalline structure, impurities, crystal lattice defects, the valence states of their chemical elements, and their oxidation and hydration states. There are also minerals whose color has been artificially modified through dyeing, heat treatments, and exposure to radiation.