What effect do inclusions have on mineral coloration?

Inclusions play a significant role in determining the coloration of minerals by introducing foreign materials that interact with the mineral's structure and light absorption properties. These inclusions, which can be other minerals, fluids, or gases trapped within the primary mineral, can cause variations in color due to differences in their chemical makeup, size, and distribution.

For instance, certain inclusions may impart specific colors based on their own characteristics, such as iron oxides leading to reddish hues or copper minerals providing green shades. The manner in which these inclusions scatter, absorb, or reflect light can significantly alter the overall appearance of the mineral, leading to a spectrum of color variations even within the same mineral species.

This means that the presence and type of inclusions are crucial in influencing the aesthetic and scientific evaluation of the mineral, thus supporting the idea that they can indeed cause color variation rather than having no effect, always darkening, or lightening the mineral's appearance consistently.