What is the difference between Crystal Face and Cleavage Plane?

Crystal face and cleavage plane describe the surface of a mineral. The smooth facade of a mineral can have a crystal face or cleavage plane. Crystal face can be defined as the smooth plane that is formed on the surface of a crystal. It is where the crystal developments occur.

On the contrary, a cleavage plane can be defined as the tendency of crystals to split along individual structural planes. Crystal face is often described corresponding to its linked to the crystal graphic axes.

Crystal face can also be described as the outer planar surface, which reflects internal structures. A group of numbers is used to demonstrate different crystal faces. On the contrary, the cleavage plane tends to be smooth and shiny. Cubic cleavage is created on planes, parallel to the faces.

The surface of minerals can be one of two things. It can either be a Crystal face, or it can be a cleavage plane. Between the two, the crystal face is a smooth surface. A mineral has a cleavage plane when the crystal is split along the plane structures.

These planes are parallel to the crystal faces. Though crystal faces are smooth, the cleavage planes are shiny. Another difference between them is in relation to the bonds of atoms.

When the bonds split in a cleavage plane that is weakened, when this same action occurs in the crystal face, they are instead tied together.

Crystal face refers to when a crystal has a smooth plane formed on its surface. Certain crystal processes such as twinning usually occur on the crystal face. Cleavage plane, on the other hand, refers to the property of crystals, which allows them to divide into certain structural planes. Crystal faces usually reflect the internal structures of minerals through their outward planar surfaces.

They are mostly discussed in relation to terms like Crystallographic Axes, Crystal symmetry, etc. Crystal faces are usually indicated using different kinds of numbers. These numbers are used mostly to describe the halo ray path through crystals. In contrast, the bonds between atoms or molecules are made less strong due to the cleavage plane, and this usually causes the surface of a mineral to look shiny and smooth.

Usually, cleavage planes are used to identify minerals. Unlike in crystal face where atoms bond with one another, cleavage planes are usually parallel to crystal faces.