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Cleavage (crystal)

Frae Wikipedia, the free beuk o knawledge
Green fluorite wi prominent cleavage.

Cleavage, in mineralogy, is the tendency o crystalline materials tae split alang definite crystallografic structural planes. Thir planes o relative weakness are a result o the regular locations o atoms an ions in the crystal, whilk create smuith repeatin surfaces that is veesible baith in the microscope an tae the nekkit ee.[1]

References

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  1. * Hurlbut, Cornelius S.; Klein, Cornelis, 1985, Manual of Mineralogy, 20th ed., Wiley, ISBN 0-471-80580-7