Crystal Axes, Systems, Mineral Face Notation (Miller Indices)

A CRYSTAL is the outward form of the internal structure of the mineral. The 6 basic crystal systems are: ISOMETRIC TETRAGONAL HEXAGONAL ORTHORHOMBIC TRICLINIC

Drusy Quartz on Barite

MONOCLINIC

Acknowledgement: the following images from Susan and Stan Celestian, Glendale Community College Celestian,

Crystal Systems
CRYSTAL SYSTEMS are divided into 6 main groups.

The first group is the ISOMETRIC. This literally means equal measure and refers to the equal size of the crystal axes.

ISOMETRIC - Fluorite Crystals

Crystal Systems

ISOMETRIC CRYSTALS

a3

ISOMETRIC
a2
In this crystal system there are 3 axes. Each has the same length (as indicated by the same letter a). They all meet at mutual 90o angles in the center of the crystal.

a1 ISOMETRIC Basic Cube

Crystals in this system are typically blocky or ball-like. ALL ISOMETRIC CRYSTALS HAVE 4 3-FOLD AXES

Crystal Systems

ISOMETRIC CRYSTALS

a3 a3 a1 a2 a1 ISOMETRIC - Basic Cube Fluorite cube with crystal axes.

a2

Crystal Systems

ISOMETRIC BASIC CRYSTAL SHAPES

Spinel Octahedron

Fluorite
Cube

Pyrite Cube with Pyritohedron Striations

Garnet Trapezohedron

Garnet - Dodecahedron

Crystal Systems

HEXAGONAL CRYSTALS

HEXAGONAL - Three horizontal

a3 a2 a1

axes meeting at angles of 120o and one perpendicular axis. ALL HEXAGONAL CRYSTALS HAVE A SINGLE 3- OR 6-FOLD AXIS = C

HEXAGONAL Crystal Axes

Crystal Systems

HEXAGONAL CRYSTALS
These hexagonal CALCITE crystals nicely show the six sided prisms as well as the basal pinacoid.

Two subsytems: subsytems: 1. Hexagonal 2. Trigonal

Crystal Systems

TETRAGONAL CRYSTALS
TETRAGONAL
Two equal, horizontal, mutually perpendicular axes (a1, a2)

a1

a2

Vertical axis (c) is perpendicular to the horizontal axes and is of a different length.

c TETRAGONAL Crystal Axes a2

a1

This is an Alternative Crystal Axes

Crystal Systems

TETRAGONAL CRYSTALS
Same crystal seen edge on.

WULFENITE

ALL HEXAGONAL CRYSTALS HAVE A SINGLE 3- OR 6-FOLD AXIS = C

Crystal Systems

ORTHORHOMBIC CRYSTALS
ORTHORHOMBIC c
Three mutually perpendicular axes of different lengths.

c a b a b

ORTHORHMOBIC Crystal Axes

An Alternative Crystal Axes Orientation Each axis has symmetry, either 2-fold or m-normal

Crystal Systems

ORTHORHOMBIC CRYSTALS

Topaz from Topaz Mountain, Utah.

Crystal Systems

ORTHORHOMBIC CRYSTALS

BARITE is also orthorhombic. The view above is looking down the c axis of the crystal.

Crystal Systems

ORTHORHOMBIC CRYSTALS
Pinacoid View

Prism View
STAUROLITE

Crystal Systems

MONOCLINIC CRYSTALS
MONOCLINIC

c b a MONOCLINIC Crystal Axes

In this crystal form the axes are of unequal length. Axes a and b are perpendicular. Axes b and c are perpendicular. But a and c make some oblique angle and with each other. MONO = ONE AXIS OF SYMMETRY (2-FOLD OR MIRROR) = TO b

Crystal Systems

MONOCLINIC CRYSTALS

Top View

Gypsum

Mica

Orthoclase

Crystal Systems

TRICLINIC CRYSTALS

TRICLINIC b
In this system, all of the axes are of different lengths and none are perpendicular to any of the others. SYMMETRY: ONLY 1 OR 1-BAR

TRICLINIC Crystal Axes

Crystal Systems

TRICLINIC CRYSTALS

Microcline, variety Amazonite

Crystal Faces
Remember:
Space groups for atom symmetry Point groups for crystal face symmetry

sphene

Crystal Faces = limiting surfaces of growth

Depends in part on shape of building units & physical conditions (T, P, matrix, nature & flow direction of solutions)

Acknowledgement: the following images from John Winter, Whitman College, WA

Crystal Morphology
Observation:
The frequency with which a given face in a crystal is observed is proportional to the density of lattice nodes along that plane

Crystal Morphology
Observation:
The frequency with which a given face in a crystal is observed is proportional to the density of lattice nodes along that plane

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Crystal Morphology
Because faces have direct relationship to the internal structure, they must have a direct and consistent angular relationship to each other

Corundum, var. ruby

Crystal Morphology
Nicholas Steno (1669): Law of Constancy of Interfacial Angles

120o

120o

120o 120o

Quartz
120o 120o 120o

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Crystal Morphology
Diff planes have diff atomic environments

Crystal Morphology
Crystal symmetry conforms to 32 point groups 32 crystal classes in 6 crystal systems Crystal faces have symmetry about the center of the crystal so the point groups and the crystal classes are the same
Crystal System Triclinic Monoclinic Orthorhombic Tetragonal Hexagonal Isometric No Center 1 2, 2 (= m) 222, 2mm 4, 4, 422, 4mm, 42m 3, 32, 3m 6, 6, 622, 6mm, 62m 23, 432, 43m Center 1 2/m 2/m 2/m 2/m 4/m, 4/m 2/m 2/m 3, 3 2/m 6/m, 6/m 2/m 2/m 2/m 3, 4/m 3 2/m

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Six Crystal Systems

3-D Lattice Types Name Triclinic Monoclinic Orthorhombic Tetragonal Hexagonal Hexagonal (4 axes) Rhombohedral Isometric axes abc abc abc a1 = a2 c a1 = a2 = a3 c a1 = a2 = a3 a1 = a2 = a3 angles 90o = = 90o 90o = = = 90o = = = 90o = 90o = 120o = = 90o = = = 90o

+c

+a

+b

Axial convention: right-hand rule rule

b a b Triclinic abc
c

a I Monoclinic = = 90 abc

=C

Orthorhombic = = = 90 a b c

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a2

a1

a2 Tetragonal = = = 90 a1 = a2 c a3

a1

Hexagonal Rhombohedral = = 90 = 120 = = 90 a1 = a2 = a3 a1 = a2 c

P or C

a2 a1

Isometric = = = 90 a1 = a 2 = a3

Triclinic and Monoclinic

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Orthorhombic and Tetragonal

Hexagonal

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Isometric

Crystal Morphology
Crystal Axes: generally taken as parallel to the edges (intersections) of prominent crystal faces b a

c halite

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Crystal Morphology
Crystal Axes: Symmetry also has a role: c = 6fold in hexagonal, 4-fold in tetragonal, and 3-fold in trigonal. trigonal. The three axes in isometric are 4 or 4bar. The b axis in monoclinic crystals is a 2fold or m-normal. The crystallographic axes determined by x-ray and by the face method nearly always coincide. This is not coincidence!! fluorite

Crystal Morphology
How do we keep track of the faces of a crystal?

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Crystal Morphology
How do we keep track of the faces of a crystal? Remember, face sizes may vary, but angles can't

Note: interfacial angle = the angle angle between the faces measured like this

120o

120o

120o 120o

120o 120o 120o

Miller Indices of Crystal Faces

How do we keep track of the faces of a crystal? Remember, face sizes may vary, but angles can't Thus it's the orientation & angles that are the best source of our indexing Miller Index is the accepted indexing method It uses the relative intercepts of the face in question with the crystal axes

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Crystal Morphology
Given the following crystal:
2-D view looking down c a b

Crystal Morphology
Given the following crystal:

How reference faces? a face? b face? -a and -b faces?

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Crystal Morphology
Suppose we get another crystal of the same mineral with 2 other sets of faces: How do we reference them?
b w x y

Miller Index uses the relative intercepts of the faces with the axes Pick a reference face that intersects both axes Which one?
b w x y x y a z a b

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Which one? Either x or y. The choice is arbitrary. Just pick one. Suppose we pick x
b w x y x y a z a b

MI process is very structured (cook book)

a
unknown face (y) (y reference face (x) (x invert clear of fractions x

b 1 1 1 1

c 1 1

1 2 2 1

(2 1 0)

Miller index of face y using x as the a-b reference face

a

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What is the Miller Index of the reference face?

a
unknown face (x) (x reference face (x) (x invert clear of fractions x
(1 1 0)

b 1 1 1 1

c 1 1

1 1 1 1

1
Miller index of the reference face is always 1 - 1

(2 1 0)

What if we pick y as the reference. What is the MI of x?

a
unknown face (x) (x reference face (y) (y invert clear of fractions x
(1 2 0)

b 1 1 1 1

c 1 1

2 1 1 2

2
Miller index of the reference face is always 1 - 1

(1 1 0)

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Which choice is correct?

1) 2) x = (1 1 0) y = (2 1 0) x = (1 2 0) y = (1 1 0)
x

The choice is arbitrary

y

What is the difference?

a

What is the difference?

b b

unit cell shape if y = (1 1 0)

unit cell shape if x = (1 1 0)

a x b x

y a

y a

axial ratio = a/b = 0.80

axial ratio = a/b = 1.60

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What are the Miller Indices of all the faces if we choose x as the reference? Face Z?

b w (1 1 0) (2 1 0) a

The Miller Indices of face z using x as the reference

a
unknown face (z) reference face (x) (x b w (1 1 0) (2 1 0) invert clear of fractions

b 1 1

c 1 1

1 1 1 1

(1 0 0) a z

Miller index of face z using x (or (or any face) as the face) reference face

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Can you index the rest? (1 1 0) (2 1 0) (1 0 0) a

b (1 1 0) (2 1 0) (0 1 0) (1 1 0) (2 1 0) (1 0 0) a

(1 0 0)

(2 1 0) (1 1 0) (0 1 0)

(2 1 0) (1 1 0)

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3-D Miller Indices (an unusually complex example) a

c

b 2 4 4 2

c 2 3 3 2

unknown face (XYZ) (XYZ) reference face (ABC) (ABC)

C

2 1 1 2

invert
Z

clear of fractions
A X O Y B a b

(1

3)

Miller index of face XYZ using ABC as the reference face

Example: the (110) surface

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Example: the (111) surface

Example: (100), (010), and (001)

(001) (010)

For the isometric system, these faces are equivalent (=zone)

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Miller Indices - 3 axes

Miller Bravais Indices

Hexagonal System

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Form = a set of symmetrically equivalent faces braces indicate a form {210} 210}
b (1 1) (2 1) (1 0) (2 1) (1 1) (0 1) (0 1) (1 1) (2 1) (1 0) a (2 1) (1 1)

Form = a set of symmetrically equivalent faces braces indicate a form {210} 210}
pinacoid prism pyramid dipryamid

related by a mirror or a 2-fold axis

related by n-fold axis or mirrors

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Form = a set of symmetrically equivalent faces braces indicate a form {210} 210}
Quartz = 2 forms: Hexagonal prism (m = 6) Hexagonal dipyramid (m = 12)

Isometric forms include Octahedron

Cube
_ 111 __ 111 111 _ 111

halite

Dodecahedron
011

magnetite

101 _ 110 _ 101

110

garnet
_ 011

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All three combined:

001

011 _ 111 101 111

_ 110 100

010 110

__ 111 _ 101

_ 111

_ 011

Zone
Any group of faces || a common axis Use of h k l as variables for a, b, c intercepts (h k 0) = [001] 0) 001] If the MIs of 2 non-parallel faces are MI added, the result = MI of a face between them & in the same zone

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Isometric Forms

Pyrite

The Cubic Form of Native Copper

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Stereographic Projections

Stereographic Projections

Illustrated above are the stereographic projections for Triclinic point groups 1 and -1

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The 32 Point Groups

The Triclinic System

microcline

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The Monoclinic System

Orthoclase

The Orthorhombic System

barite

anhydrite

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The Trigonal Subsystem

The Trigonal Subsystem

Tourmaline on quartz

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The Tetragonal System

vesuvianite

scapolite

The Tetragonal System

rutile

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topaz

The Tetragonal System

The Hexagonal System

cinnabar

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beryl

The Hexagonal System

The Hexagonal System

zincite

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garnet

The Isometric System

The Isometric System

pyrit e

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