MINERAL PROPERTIES: FEEL
The "feel" of a mineral can sometimes help identify it. Some minerals are
greasy to the touch, others are smooth, and others have a rough feel. Diamond, which absorbs
heat better than any substance, has a unique, cold feel at room temperature. Some
specimens of a particular mineral may have a rough feel since they are composed of tiny,
protruding crystals, while other specimens of the same mineral have a smooth texture.
Therefore, a rough feel is not necessarily an identification factor. A greasy and smooth
feel, however, are inherent to all specimens of the same mineral. For example, the
mineral Talc always has a greasy feel. Fibrous minerals will all have a
distinct, silky feel.
