Crystallography and Minerals Arranged by Crystal Form

Amorpho
Tetragon Orthorho
Isometric
us
al
mbic

Hexago Trigona Monocli

Triclinic
nal
l
nic

Crystal Groups and Classes - Crystallography groups are composed of 32

classes of symmetry derived from observations of the external crystal form.
From these 32 classes, 230 space groups are distinguishable using x-ray
analysis. For additional information on crystal systems, please review an
excellent on-line treatment of this subject, the Introduction to Crystallography
and Mineral Crystal Systems by Mike and Darcy Howard.
Example Crystal Morphology - To further illustrate these symmetry elements,
the example crystalline forms for each symmetry class were constructed using
Faces (version 3.7) by Georges Favreau for older browsers and a JAVA language
program called JCrystal by Steffen Weber for the java-capable browsers. In
addition, Steffen Weber has a new version of JCrystal called KrystalShaper that
can produce paper models of the example crystals.
The paper models for
each crystal class have been reproduced in .pdf format (see below) and can be
printed on heavy card stock to construct a physical model. Please note: the
paper model forms may be simplified from the JCrystal forms to avoid overlycomplicated cutting.
The example crystals in each group and class were constructed using the
following parameters:

Crystallographic axes: a=1, b=1, c=1.

Forms: [214], [104], [024], [100], [010] (Color coded in all example
crystals).

This morphology was used in all the crystal groups and classes for drawing the
examples and the stereo images. The higher order forms were selected to best
illustrate some of the subtle differences in the symmetry classes. Remember,
most real crystals will probably not have similar forms when compared to the
examples.
Table Crystallography (Mason 68, p18) - The thirty-two crystal classes are
summarized by symmetry elements in the following table which is linked to:
1. Example crystal images within the crystallography group in the yellow
columns.

2. Stereo crystal images/java example and mineral listings of each group and
class in the green columns.
3. JAVA crystal examples on the individual crystal classes for detailed study.
Please note that the rotational inversion axes of 3,(3 BAR) 4 (4BAR), and 6
(6BAR) may not be visible to older browsers which don't use cascading style
sheets (.css).
AXES
System (1) Class Name (2)

Hermann-

Plane Cent Maugin

2346s
er
Symbols
Fold Fold Fold Fold
(3)

Tetartoidal

23

Diploidal

yes

2/m 3

Hextetrahedral

4 3m

Gyroidal

432

Hexoctahedral

yes

4/m 3 2/m

Disphenoidal

Pyramidal

Dipyramidal

yes

4/m

Scalenohedral

4 2m

Ditetragonal
pyramidal

4mm

Trapezohedral

422

DitetragonalDipyramidal

yes

4/m 2/m
2/m

mm2

222

yes

2/m 2/m
2/m

Hexagonal Trigonal Dipyramidal -

Pyramidal

Isometric

Tetragonal

Pyramidal
Orthorhomb
Disphenoidal
ic
Dipyramidal

Trigonal

Monoclinic

Dipyramidal

yes

6/m

Ditrigonal
Dipyramidal

6m2

Dihexagonal
Pyramidal

6mm

Trapezohedral

622

Dihexagonal
Dipyramidal

yes

6/m 2/m
2/m

Pyramidal

Rhombohedral

yes

Ditrigonal Pyramidal -

3m

Trapezohedral

32

Hexagonal
Scalenohedral

yes

3 2/m

Domatic

Sphenoidal

Prismatic

yes

2/m

Pedial

Pinacoidal

yes

Triclinic

ISOMETRIC - Mike and Darcy Howard's Details on The Cubic (Isometric) System
Isometric (Cubic) Crystal Classes

Crystal
Axes

Example
Form

Java
Example
Forms
and
Paper Models
Links to
Mineral
Listings

Isometric
Minerals
Crystal Form
Example

Isometric
Crystallograp
hic
Axes

Class
Unknown
Mineral
Listing

[214], [104],
[024], [100],
[010]
Isometric
Diploidal
Mineral
Listing
H-M
Symbol
(2/m 3)

Isometric
Gyroidal Mineral Listing
H-M Symbol (4 3 2)

Isometric
Hexoctahedral Mineral Listing
H-M Symbol (4/m 3 2/m)

Isometric
Hextetrahedral Mineral Listing
H-M Symbol (4 3m)

Isometric
Tetartoidal Mineral Listing
H-M Symbol (2 3)

TETRAGONAL - Mike and Darcy Howard's Details on The Tetragonal System

Tetragonal Crystal Classes

Crystal
Axes

Example Form

Java
Example
Forms
and
Paper Models
Links to
Mineral
Listings

Tetragonal
Mineral Crystal
Form Example
[214], [104],
[024], [100],
[010]

Tetragonal
Crystallogra
phic
Axes

Class
Unknown
Mineral
Listing

Tetragon
al
Dipyrami
dal
Mineral
Listing
H-M
Symbol
(4/m)

Tetragonal
Disphenoidal Mineral Listing
H-M Symbol (4)

Tetragonal
Ditetragonal Dipyramidal
Mineral Listing
H-M Symbol (4/m 2/m 2/m)

Tetragonal
Pyramidal Mineral Listing
H-M Symbol (4)

Tetragonal
Ditetragonal-pyramidal Mineral
Listing
H-M Symbol (4mm)

Tetragonal
Scalenohedral Mineral Listing
H-M Symbol (4 2m)

Tetragonal
Trapezohedral Mineral
H-M Symbol (4 2 2)

ORTHORHOMBIC - Mike and Darcy Howard's Details on The Orthorhombic

System
Orthorhombic Crystal Classes

Crystal
Axes

Example Form

Orthorhombic
Minerals Crystal
Form Example
[214], [104], [024],
[100], [010]

Orthorhobi
c
Crystallogr
aphic
Axes

Java
Example
Forms
and
Paper Models
Links to
Mineral
Listings
Class
Unknown
Mineral
Listing.

Orthorho
mbic
Dipyrami
dal
Mineral
Listing
H-M
Symbol
(2/m 2/m
2/m)

Orthorhombic
Disphenoidal Mineral Listing
H-M Symbol (2 2 2)

Orthorhombic
Pyramidal Mineral Listing
H-M Symbol (mm2)

HEXAGONAL - Mike and Darcy Howard's Details on The Hexagonal System

(Hexagonal Division)
Hexagonal Crystal Classes
Crystal
Axes

Example Form

Java
Paper Models
Exampl
e Forms
and
Links to
Mineral

Listings
Hexagonal
Minerals Crystal
Form Example.
[214], [104],
[024], [100],
[010]

Hexagonal
Crystallogra
phic
Axes

Class
Unknown
Mineral
Listing.

Hexagon
al
Dihexag
onal
Dipyrami
dal
Mineral
Listing
H-M
Symbol
(6/m 2/m
2/m)

Hexagonal
Dihexagonal Pyramidal
Mineral Listing
H-M Symbol (6mm)

Hexagonal
Dipyramidal Mineral Listing
H-M Symbol (6/m)

Hexagonal
Ditrigonal Dipyramidal
Mineral Listing
H-M Symbol (6 m2)

Hexagonal
Pyramidal Mineral Listing
H-M Symbol (6)

Hexagonal
Trapezohedral Mineral Listing
H-M Symbol (6 2 2)

Hexagonal
Trigonal Dipyramidal
Mineral
H-M Symbol (6)

TRIGONAL - Mike and Darcy Howard's Details on The Hexagonal System

(Trigonal Division)
Trigonal Crystal Classes

Crystal Axes Example Form

Trigonal
Minerals Crystal
Form Example.
[214], [104],
[024], [100],
[010]

Java
Exampl
e
Forms
and
Links
Paper Models
to
Minera
l
Listing
s
Class
Unknow
n
Mineral
Listing.

Trigonal

Trigonal
Crystallograp
hic
Axes

Ditrigon
al
Pyramid
al
Mineral
Listing
and
Stereo
image.
H-M
Symbol
(3m)

Trigonal
Hexagonal Scalenohedral
Mineral Listing and Stereo
image.
H-M Symbol (3 2/m)

Trigonal
Pyramidal Mineral Listing and
Stereo image.
H-M Symbol (3)

Trigonal
Rhombohedral Mineral Listing
and Stereo image.
H-M Symbol ( 3)

Trigonal
Trapezohedral Mineral Listing
and Stereo image.
H-M Symbol (3 2)

MONOCLINIC - Mike and Darcy Howard's Details on The Monoclinic System

Monoclinic Crystal Classes
Crystal
Axes

Example Form

Java
Paper Models
Exampl
e
Forms
and
Links
to
Mineral

Listings
Monoclinic
Minerals Crystal
Form Example.
[214], [104],
[024], [100],
[010]

Monoclinic
Crystallogra
phic
Axes
<> 90

Class
Unknow
n
Mineral
Listing.

Monocli
nic
Domatic
Mineral
Listing
H-M
Symbol
(m)

Monoclinic
Prismatic Mineral Listing
H-M Symbol (2/m)

Monoclinic
Sphenoidal Mineral Listing
H-M Symbol (2)

TRICLINIC - Mike and Darcy Howard's Details on The Triclinic System

Triclinic Crystal Classes

Crystal
Axes

Example Form

Triclinic Minerals
Crystal Form
Example.
[214], [104],
[024], [100],
[010]
Triclinic
Crystallograp
hic
Axes
,, <> 90

Java
Exampl
e
Forms
and
Links
Paper Models
to
Minera
l
Listing
s
Class
Unknow
n
Mineral
Listing.

Triclinic
Pedial
Mineral
Listing
H-M
Symbol
(1)

Triclinic
Pinacoidal Mineral Listing
H-M Symbol ( 1)