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To: Phil V.
To what scale does the "rhomboid" shape ov calcite hold beyond crystaline? Will calcite base rocks fracture in a way so as to preserve the "rhomboid " shape?

Calcite will cleave according to it's rhombohedral shape. Of course weathering and abrasion can "round" or otherwise obscure the crystal form, but on a fresh face, calcite (and other such minerals) will cleave to their original form. Note the following:

The smaller piece that has broken away from the main crystal still retains the rhombohedral shape.

In this aggregate, if we looked at the individual crystal, we would see the unmistakable calcite rhombs.

62 posted on 02/22/2004 9:59:01 AM PST by Aracelis
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To: Piltdown_Woman
. . . so the rhombohedral shape of the large "slab" in the bottom picture in #61 might be indicative of calcite?
64 posted on 02/22/2004 10:03:45 AM PST by Phil V.
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