The Shape (Habit) of Mineral Aggregations

(Click on  to see a picture)
Use Your Viewer's Back Button to return here
OR
back

Acicular: 

Long needle like crystals

Gypsum
CaSO4.2H2O

Columnar

Long but thick

Quartz
SiO2

Equant

Roughly equal sizes in all 3 dimensions

Olivine
(Mg.Fe)SiO4

Bladed

Long, flat but narrow

Kyanite
Al2SiO5

Tabular

Thin and flat

Muscovite
KAl2(OH)2AlSi3O10

Concretionary

Roughly spherical concentric layers

Pyrite
FeS2

Botryoidal

Rounded aggregates like a bunch of grapes

Pyrolusite
MnO2

Mammilary

Breast like rounded surfaces

Haematite
Fe2O3

Pisolitic

Peas sized spherical concretions

Bauxite
Al2O3

Oolitic

Smaller concretions like fish eggs

Haematite
Fe2O3

Foliated

Separable leaves or sheets

Molybdenite
MoS2

Fibrous

Clusters of thin threads

Crysotile asbestos H4Mg3Si2O9

Radiating

Needle like thin crystals pointing out from a centre

Inesite
H2(Mn,Ca)6Si16O19.3H2O

Stalactitic

Thin tapering columns

Apatite
Ca5(F,Cl,OH)(PO4)3

Dendritic

Fern like branching shapes

Pyrolusite
MnO2

Massive

Compact with no particular shape

Rhodonite
MnSiO3

TOP