What is crystallography?

Deals with the symmetry of crystals and crystal structures

Provides a descriptive method of describing the symmetry
of crystals
Warning: Perkins has condensed this material into one
chapter, so it comes quickly and without much background

Crystallography
Chapter 2

E. Goeke, Fall 2006

E. Goeke, Fall 2006

Reflection

Symmetry
The ordered arrangement of atoms in mineral structures is
defined by a lattice
Lattice = 3D dimensional network of atoms/molecules
Lattice node = intersection of lattice lines
Unit cell = smallest volume that contains all of the
elements
Three types of symmetry:
Reflection
Rotation
Inversion
Point of symmetry is the center of the crystal or the origin
of the unit cell
E. Goeke, Fall 2006

E. Goeke, Fall 2006

E. Goeke, Fall 2006

E. Goeke, Fall 2006

Rotation
Rotation occurs around an axis (A)
There are five possible rotations in nature:
1-fold (A 1 or 1)
2-fold (A 2 or
or 2)
3-fold (A 3 or
or 3)
4-fold (A 4 or
or 4)
6-fold (A 6 or
or 6)
5-fold, 7-fold, 8-fold dont appear in nature

http://www.tulane.edu/~sanelson/eens211/introsymmetry.htm

Inversion
A line drawn through the origin will find identical features
on the other side
Indicated by the letter i

http://www.tulane.edu/~sanelson/eens211/introsymmetry.htm

E. Goeke, Fall 2006

Example

Further symmetry work

Take each number and determine the 2D symmetry of it

E. Goeke, Fall 2006

ID the inversion points, rotations, and mirror planes of the

following alphabet in 2D (similar to the number exercise)

ABCDEFGH
 IJKLM
NOPQRSTUVWXYZ

E. Goeke, Fall 2006

Rotoinversion

E. Goeke, Fall 2006

Hermann-Mauguin & Point Groups

Combination of inversion and rotation

Notated by a bar over the rotation
1-fold rotoinversion = A1 = 1 = i
2-fold rotoinversion = A2 = 2 = m
3-fold rotoinversion = A3 = 3 = A 3 + i
4-fold rotoinversion = A4 = 4
6-fold rotoinversion = A6 = 6 = A 3 + m

The presence of some symmetry elements requires the

presence of others--therefore we only notate the explicit
elements and not the implied ones
Hermann-Maugin notation includes:
2 = 2-fold rotation axis
4/m = 4-fold rotation axis with a mirror plane
perpendicular to the axis
3 = 3-fold rotoinversion
The explicit elements are used to define the 32 point
groups (Table 2.2 in your textbook)
E. Goeke, Fall 2006

E. Goeke, Fall 2006

How many symmetry elements?

crystal system

common symmetry elements

triclinic

one-fold rotation with or without i

monoclinic

two-fold rotation and/or m

orthorhombic

3 two-fold rotation axes and/or 3 m

hexagonal

1 three-fold or six-fold axis

tetragonal

1 four-fold rotation or rotoinversion

axis

cubic

4 three-fold axes

E. Goeke, Fall 2006

Crystallographic axes
Crystal axes = frame of reference to describe the crystal
structure; arbitrarily determined
Origin = intersection of the crystal axes
Length of axes is proportional to lattice spacing

E. Goeke, Fall 2006

crystal system

axis lengths

angles between
axes

common symmetry
elements

triclinic

abc

90

1-fold rotation w/ or
w/out i

monoclinic

abc

= = 90, >
90

2-fold rotation and/or 1

m

orthorhombic

abc

= = = 90

3 2-fold rotation axes

and/or 3 m

hexagonal

a1 = a 2 = a3, a 60 btw as, =

c
90

1 3-fold or 6-fold axis

tetragonal

a=bc

= = = 90

1 4-fold rotation or
rotoinversion axis

cubic

a=b=c

= = = 90

4 3-fold axes

E. Goeke, Fall 2006

E. Goeke, Fall 2006

Triclinic

crystal system

crystal axes

triclinic

no sym restrictions; prominent = c

monoclinic

2-fold or line m = b; prominent = c

orthorhombic

2-fold axes or lines m, match w/ a, b, c

H-M symbols: 1st = a, 2nd = b, 3rd = c

hexagonal

3-fold or 6-fold = c
H-M symbols: 1st = c, 2nd = as, 3rd = symmetry axis that bisects
angle between a 1 and a 2

tetragonal

4-fold = c; a & b = 2-fold or lines to m

H-M symbols: 1st = c, 2nd = a & b, 3rd = symmetry axis that
bisects the angle btw a & b

cubic

3 2-fold or 4-fold = a, b, c
H-M symbols: 1st = a, b & c, 2nd = long diagonals through the
unit cell, 3rd = edge-to-edge diagonals
E. Goeke, Fall 2006

Only two classes:

1. Pedial = 1
No symmetry, all xtal faces unique
and unrelated to other faces
Pedion = xtal face unrelated to any
other face by symmetry
2. Pinacoidal = 1
Pinacoid = pairs of faces related to
each other due to an i or m
Microcline, plagioclase, turquoise,
wollastonite

http://www.tulane.edu/~sanelson/eens211/32crystalclass.htm

E. Goeke, Fall 2006

Orthorhombic

Monoclinic
Sphenoidal = 2
Sphenoids = non-parallel faces related to
each other by a 2-fold rotational axis
Domatic = m
Domes = non-parallel faces related to
each other by a m-plane
Prismatic = 2/m
Pinacoid & prism faces
Prisms = 3, 4, 6, 8 or 12 identical faces
that are all parallel to the same line; 4
identical faces in this class
Micas, azurite, chlorite, cpx, epidote,
gypsum, malachite, kaolinite, orthoclase,
talc
http://www.tulane.edu/~sanelson/eens211/32crystalclass.htm

E. Goeke, Fall 2006

Rhombic-dispenoid = 222
Dispenoid = 4 triangular faces
Epsomite
Rhombic-pyramidal = mm2
No center of symmetry, so faces on the top are
not repeated on the bottom of the xtal
Pyramid = collection of 3, 4, 6, 8 or 12 faces that
intersect at one point; 4 identical faces in this
class
Hemimorphite
Rhombic-dipyramidal = 2/m2/m2/m
Dypyramid = two pyramids related by a m or a 2fold rotation; consist of 6, 8, 12, 16 or 24 faces; 4
faces on the top and 4 on the bottom in this class
Aragonite, barite, cordierite, olivine, sillimanite,
topaz, andalusite, anthophyllite, stibnite, sulfur E. Goeke, Fall 2006
http://www.tulane.edu/~sanelson/eens211/32crystalclass.htm

Tetragonal-trapezohedral = 422
No m planes
Ditetragonal-pyramidal = 4mm
8 face pyramid on top
Tetragonal-scalenohedral = 42m

Tetragonal
Tetragonal-pyramidal = 4
No pyramid faces on bottom due to
lack of m planes
Wulfinite
Tetragonal-disphenoid = 4

Chalcopyrite and stannite

Ditetragonal-dipyramidal =
4/m2/m2/m
Most symmetry in tetragonal
system
8 faces on top & bottom
Zircon, vesuvianite, anatase,
cassierite, apophyllite

2 identical faces on the top and

bottom offset by 90
No m planes
Tetragonal-dipyramidal = 4/m
4 identical faces top & bottom due
to m plane
Scheelite and scapolite
http://www.tulane.edu/~sanelson/eens211/32crystalclass.htm

http://www.tulane.edu/~sanelson/eens211/32crystalclass.htm

E. Goeke, Fall 2006

Lattice node

Plane Lattice

Space Lattice

a
a
a
a

E. Goeke, Fall 2006

c
a
a

-b

-a

b
b
Plane lattice = repeated translations parallel to a & b
produce a repeating pattern of dots extending to infinity in
the ab plane
Translational symmetry = repetition of a point/unit cell in a
specific distance and angle in space
E. Goeke, Fall 2006

-c
Space lattice = repeated translations of a, b, & c in 3D
E. Goeke, Fall 2006

1. Xtal faces grow along planes defined by points in the

lattice--points are either atoms or molecules

Crystal Faces

Law of Hay = crystal faces will intercept the

crystallographic axes in a simple, rational fashion
Law of Bravais = crystal faces are more likely to develop
when they intercept large number of lattice nodes
4 general considerations about xtal face growth:

E. Goeke, Fall 2006

2. Angle between xtal faces is determined by the lattice

point spacing

http://www.tulane.edu/~sanelson/eens211/crystalmorphology&symmetry.htm

E. Goeke, Fall 2006

http://www.tulane.edu/~sanelson/eens211/crystalmorphology&symmetry.htm

E. Goeke, Fall 2006

3. All xtals of the same

composition will have
the same lattice spacing
-> Stenos Law = angle
between equivalent
faces on the same
mineral will always be
the same
4. Lattice symmetry will
determine the angles
between xtal faces -even in distorted or
imperfect xtals

http://www.tulane.edu/~sanelson/eens211/crystalmorphology&symmetry.htm

E. Goeke, Fall 2006

Unit Cells
Lengths for crystallographic axes are based on the size of
the unit cell
Unit cell includes all of the required points on the lattice
needed to repeat the lattice in an infinite array
Arbitrary definition of unit cell, but following rules are
good to follow:
Edges of unit cell should match with symmetry of
lattice
Edges of unit cell should also be related by the
symmetry of lattice
The smallest possible cell size that contains all of the
elements should be chosen

Which is the best unit cell?

http://www.tulane.edu/~sanelson/eens211/crystalmorphology&symmetry.htm

E. Goeke, Fall 2006

E. Goeke, Fall 2006

Crystal Face Intercepts

Miller Indices

Also called Weiss Parameters

Intercepts are always relative and do not
indicate any actual length
Faces can be moved parallel to themselves
without changing the intercept
Three cases:
1. Intercepts only one crystallographic axis
(e.g. a, b, 1c)
2. Intersects two crystallographic axes (e.g. 1a,
1b, c)
3. Intersects all three axes (e.g. 1a, 1b, 1c)
Convention states that you take the largest
face that intersects all 3 axes and assign it
1a, 1b, 1c = unit face

Convenient method to describe the orientation of planes

(e.g. xtal faces, crystallographic planes, cleavage planes)
Three step process:
1. Determine the xtal face intercepts
2. Invert the intercepts
3. Clear fractions
(hkl) is the normal form for Miller indices
h = a-axis, k = b-axis, l = c-axis
(hkl) indicate the index is for a specific face or
crystallographic plane
[hkl] is used for crystallographic directions
{hkl} is used for xtal forms
E. Goeke, Fall 2006

E. Goeke, Fall 2006

http://www.tulane.edu/~sanelson/eens211/axial_ratios_paramaters_miller_indices.htm

What are the intercepts?

Invert the intercepts

Intercept

Inversion

Miller Indices

a, b, 1c

1/, 1/, 1/1

(001)

a, 1b, c
-1a, b, c
1a, 1b, c
1/2a, b, c
1a, 1b, 1c

http://britneyspears.ac/physics/crystals/wcrystals.htm

E. Goeke, Fall 2006

Miller-Bravais Indices

Crystal Forms
Crystal form = set of crystal faces related to one another
via symmetry
Symmetry of xtal will determine the number of related
faces

Miller indices work well for all the

xtal system except for the hexagonal
system
Use a four number index, instead of
three (hkil)
h+k+i=0

http://www.tulane.edu/~sanelson/eens211/axial_ratios_paramaters_miller_indices.htm

E. Goeke, Fall 2006

{111} = 8 related faces: (111), (111), (111), etc.

{113} = 8 related faced: (113), (113), (113), etc.

E. Goeke, Fall 2006

http://www.tulane.edu/~sanelson/eens211/axial_ratios_paramaters_miller_indices.htm

E. Goeke, Fall 2006

Forms you should know

Pedion = one-faced form

Pinacoid = two-faced form related by i
Prism = 3+ faces related by rotation
Pyramids = 3+ faces related by rotation that meet (or could meet)
at a point
Dipyramids = 6+ faces; two pyramids related by a m
Tetrahedron = in 43m class, either {111} or {111}; 4 faces
Octahedron = 8-faced form due to 3 four-fold rotation axes + m
planes; {111}
Dodecahedron = 12-faced form by cutting corner off cube; {110}
Pyritohedron = 12-faced form with no four-fold axes; 2/m3 class;
{h0l} or {0kl}; each face has 5 sides
Cube = hexahedron = 6 equal faces; {100}
Rhombohedron = 6 faces related by 3-fold rotoinversion or 3-fold
rotation + 2-fold rotation
E. Goeke, Fall 2006

Pedion
Dihedron

Pinacoid

Tetrahedron

Cube

Octahedron

Pyritohedron

Dodecahedron
http://www.tulane.edu/~sanelson/eens211/forms_zones_habit.htm

E. Goeke, Fall 2006

Crystal Habit
Euhedral = idiomorphic = automorphic = idioblastic =
well-defined xtal faces
Subhedral = hypidiomorphic = hypautomorphic =
subidioblastic = irregular xtal form, but with some welldefined faces
Anhedral = allotriomorphic = xenomorphic = xenoblastic =
without well-defined xtal faces

E. Goeke, Fall 2006

E. Goeke, Fall 2006

subhedral

euhedral

anhedral

E. Goeke, Fall 2006