This is a sample of 22 grams of very pure silicon (better than 99.999 % purity). The size of the sample is approximately 4 cm at its longest diameter.

The element has a nice metallic lustre and it has a beautiful grey/blue color. The color of the silicon is shown beautifully by the reflection of the white paper and the somewhat yellowish ceiling. The front of the sample looks somewhat bluish due to reflection of white light and the top of the sample has a yellow hue. The latter is due to the color of the ceiling, which is somewhat yellow.

The picture below shows the same sample, in front of a larger sample of highly polished silicon, also of very high purity. The mirror image is much darker than the sample itself. This is due to the blue/grey color of silicon.

Bulk silicon has a beautiful lustre and it can even be polished like a mirror as shown by the picture above. It also is polished in silicon wafers, which are used in the semiconductor industry for making microelectronic circuits (chips). Powdered silicon does not have such a nice lustre. It is a dark grey, almost black powder.