Cleavage of minerals

0 Geology, Mineralogy 2:30 PM

A cleavage plane is a plane of structural weakness along which a mineral is likely to split
smoothly. Cleavage thus refers to the splitting of a crystal between two parallel atomic planes.
Cleavage is the result of weaker bond strengths or greater lattice spacing across the plane in
question than in other directions within the crystal. Greater lattice spacing tends to accompany
weaker bond strength across a plane, because such bonds are unable to maintain a close
interatomic spacing.

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Both the positioning of crystal faces in a mineral and the property of cleavage are derived
from the crystalline structure of the species. However, despite the fact that every mineral belongs
to a specified crystal system, not every mineral exhibits cleavage. A mineral such as quartz may
demonstrate beautiful, well-developed crystals and yet possess no distinct planes of cleavage.
Cleavage planes, if they exist, are always parallel to a potential crystal face. However, such
planes are not necessarily parallel to the faces which the crystal actually displays. Fluorite, for
example, has octahedral cleavage yet forms cubic crystals. Nonetheless, the property of cleavage,
if it is present, can offer important information about the symmetry and inner structure of a
crystal.

The quality of a mineral's cleavage refers to both the ease with which the mineral cleaves and
to the character of the exposed cleavage surface. The quality of a sample's cleavage is typically
described by terms such as 'eminent,' 'perfect,' 'distinct,' 'difficult,' 'imperfect,' or 'indistinct.'
'Eminent' cleavage describes the case in which cleavage always occurs readily and is in fact
difficult to prevent from occurring. The mineral mica, for example, cleaves readily into thin, flat
sheets.
A mineral which demonstrates 'perfect' cleavage breaks easily, exposing continuous, flat
surfaces which reflect light. Fluorite, calcite, and barite are minerals whose cleavage is perfect.
'Distinct' cleavage implies that cleavage surfaces are present although they may be marred by
fractures or imperfections. 'Difficult' or 'indistinct' cleavage produces surfaces which are neither
smooth nor regular; samples possessing such cleavage tend to fracture rather than split.
Cleavage may be determined by the examination of surfaces which have actually broken. It
may also be determined by inspection of the interlacing systems of cracks which permeate the
structure of certain specimens. These systems of cracks are beautifully apparent within
transparent crystals such as fluorite or calcite.
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