Which information would be most helpful for someone trying to identify a mineral sample?

People may find a mineral and need to be able to identify it. In history, before the minerals were discovered, they would have to be identified through a system of tests. Today, we use the same tests. First, the scientist would look at the color of it. This is probably the easiest thing to see on the mineral. Streak is another thing to observe in mineral identification.

Streak is when a scientist rubs or draws the mineral across a white porcelain plate and then see what the remnants look like on the plate. Luster is the way the light looks on the mineral. Some sparkle like diamonds. Another way is for hardness. It is believed that the diamond is the hardest mineral with talc being the least hard.