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Surface structures of fluorite crystals
Author(s) -
Desai C. C.
Publication year - 1979
Publication title -
kristall und technik
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.377
H-Index - 64
eISSN - 1521-4079
pISSN - 0023-4753
DOI - 10.1002/crat.19790140306
Subject(s) - fluorite , dissolution , natural (archaeology) , crystallography , materials science , microstructure , crystal growth , mineralogy , geology , chemistry , metallurgy , paleontology
Optical studies have been made of the microstructures on the natural {100} and {111} faces of natural fluorite crystals. The protrudance of triangular elevations, growth pyramids, and natural etch pits have been observed on a large number of crystals. It is suggested that fluorite crystals grown by two‐dimensional spreading and piling of growth layers parallel to {100} faces. The natural etch pits on {100} and {111} faces suggest that they have been produced as a result of a dissolution process in nature. The natural faces have been etched in the laboratory and it is established that the pits indicate the existence of linear defects in the crystals. The implications are discussed.