Cleavage and Fracture
- The way a mineral breaks is another way to identifying it's identity.
- If a mineral breaks along planes (smooth, flat surfaces) it is said to have "Cleavage".
- Not all minerals are cleavage. Some can break and have jagged or rough edges it is called " Fracture".
Mica
http://gwydir.demon.co.uk/jo/minerals/pix/mica8.jpg
- If a mineral breaks along planes (smooth, flat surfaces) it is said to have "Cleavage".
- Not all minerals are cleavage. Some can break and have jagged or rough edges it is called " Fracture".
Mica
http://gwydir.demon.co.uk/jo/minerals/pix/mica8.jpg
Quartz
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/14/Quartz,_Tibet.jpg/240px-Quartz,_Tibet.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/14/Quartz,_Tibet.jpg/240px-Quartz,_Tibet.jpg