Linked from

The 22 pages that link to Cleavage (crystal), each with the reason it gives.

• Crystal structureRelated: Bonding and plane geometry make some directions easier to fracture than others.

• CalciteRelated: Calcite breaks in three directions to form rhombohedral fragments.

• MineralRelated: Directional bonding creates the flat break surfaces used to identify many minerals.

• GypsumRelated: Gypsum commonly splits along planes parallel to its sheets of water molecules.

• MicaRelated: Mica’s exceptionally strong cleavage lets it separate into thin sheets.

• Crystal habitCompared with: Cleavage describes breakage surfaces, not the shape a mineral commonly grows into.

• Mineral identificationRelated: Cleavage directions and angles help distinguish minerals with similar appearances.

• SphaleriteRelated: Sphalerite breaks readily along six directions, producing distinctive dodecahedral fragments.

• AmphiboleRelated: Amphiboles characteristically cleave in two directions at about 56° and 124°.

• GalenaRelated: Galena breaks readily along three directions at right angles.

• OrthoclaseRelated: Its two prominent cleavage directions reflect weaknesses in the feldspar framework.

• Silicon–oxygen tetrahedronRelated: Mica cleaves because bonds between tetrahedral sheets are far weaker than bonds within them.

• SylviteRelated: Sylvite's cubic cleavage helps distinguish its physical behavior.

• MuscoviteRelated: Muscovite’s cleavage reveals its crystal layers as thin, smooth surfaces.

• René Just HaüyRelated: Haüy used cleavage fragments as evidence that crystals have orderly internal construction.

• DiopsideRelated: Diopside commonly breaks along two prominent cleavage directions characteristic of pyroxenes.

• HornblendeRelated: Hornblende commonly cleaves along two directions meeting at about 56° and 124°.

• AugiteRelated: Augite commonly shows two cleavage directions meeting at nearly right angles.

• BiotiteRelated: Weak bonding between biotite’s layers produces its prominent basal cleavage.

• LepidoliteRelated: Lepidolite’s sheet structure produces the characteristic mica cleavage.

• OrpimentRelated: Orpiment’s layered structure produces prominent cleavage parallel to its sheets.

• BaryteRelated: Baryte commonly shows good cleavage in two directions.