What is cleavage in geology?

1 Answer

1. GeologyHub

   2023-09-13T10:20:05+00:00Added an answer on September 13, 2023 at 10:20 am

   Cleavage in geology refers to the way a mineral breaks or fractures along specific planes or directions. It is a property that is related to the internal atomic structure of minerals and how their atomic bonds are arranged. Cleavage is a key diagnostic characteristic used by geologists to identify mRead more

   Cleavage in geology refers to the way a mineral breaks or fractures along specific planes or directions. It is a property that is related to the internal atomic structure of minerals and how their atomic bonds are arranged. Cleavage is a key diagnostic characteristic used by geologists to identify minerals.

   Key points about cleavage in geology:

   1. **Plane of Weakness:** Minerals with cleavage have planes of weakness along which they tend to break when subjected to stress or pressure. These planes are determined by the arrangement of atoms or ions within the mineral’s crystal lattice.

   2. **Smooth and Flat Surfaces:** When a mineral with cleavage is broken, the resulting surfaces are typically smooth, flat, and shiny. These surfaces are often parallel to each other and have a specific geometric relationship based on the mineral’s crystal structure.

   3. **Cleavage Types:** Cleavage can be categorized into different types based on the number and orientation of the cleavage planes. Common types include:
   – **Basal Cleavage:** A mineral breaks into thin, flat sheets or layers parallel to its base. Examples include mica minerals like muscovite and biotite.
   – **Prismatic Cleavage:** Minerals break into elongated, prism-like shapes with flat sides. Examples include amphibole minerals like hornblende.
   – **Cubic Cleavage:** Minerals break into cube-shaped fragments. Examples include halite (salt) and fluorite.
   – **Octahedral Cleavage:** Minerals break into eight-sided, diamond-shaped fragments. Examples include fluorite and diamond.

   4. **Distinctive for Identification:** Cleavage is a valuable property for mineral identification because different minerals exhibit cleavage in unique ways. Geologists can use the number and orientation of cleavage planes to help identify minerals in the field or in the laboratory.

   It’s important to note that not all minerals exhibit cleavage; some minerals fracture irregularly or do not break along specific planes. Cleavage is just one of several properties that geologists use to identify and classify minerals.

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