Crystal shape
Crystal shape
Minerals are sometimes found as well formed crystals. The shape of these crystals can often be used to identify minerals.
Each crystal is a solid shape. The flat faces of these crystals can be squares, rectangles, triangles, diamonds or hexagons. When you look at a mineral you may recognise these familiar shapes.
Pyrite sometimes crystallises to form perfect cubes. Cubes have six square faces. They look like the dice you use to play a board game.
Quartz is often found as long pointed crystals. If you were to slice through one of these crystals, you would see a shape called a hexagon. Hexagons have six sides. A quartz crystal is made up of a hexagonal prism, topped by a hexagonal pyramid.
Sometimes it is difficult to see the shape of the crystal clearly - they may be just too small. If you do have a large enough crystal, try and find the basic shapes that make it up. Are its faces square, rectangular, or triangular? Can you see prisms or pyramids?
