7.4: Crystal Form
- Page ID
- 5571
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Overview
This property refers to the geometric shape that a crystal naturally grows into, and is a reflection of the orderly internal arrangement of atoms within the mineral. If minerals have space to grow when they are developing, they will display their crystal form. These ideal growth conditions do not always occur, however, so many minerals do not display their ideal crystal form due to crowded conditions during growth. Examples of crystal form are shown in Figure 7.9.
