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32CrystalClasses
Asstatedinthelastlecture,thereare32possiblecombinations ofsymmetryoperationsthatdefinetheexternalsymmetry ofcrystals. These32possiblecombinationsresultinthe32crystalclasses. Theseareoftenalsoreferredtoasthe32pointgroups. Wewillgooversomeoftheseindetailinthislecture,butagain remindyouthatthebestwaytoseethismaterialisby lookingatthecrystalmodelsinlab.

HermannMauguin Symbols
HowtoderivetheHermannMauguin symbols(alsocalledthe internationalsymbols)usedtodescribethecrystalclasses fromthesymmetrycontent. Wellstartwithasimplecrystalthenlookatsomemore complexexamples.

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HermannMauguin Symbols
Therulesforderivingthe HermannMauguin symbol areasfollows: 1.Writeanumber representingeachofthe uniquerotationaxes present.
A2

A2 m 3A2, 3m, i A2

Auniquerotationaxisisonethatexistsbyitselfandisnot producedbyanothersymmetryoperation. Inthiscase,allthree2foldaxesareunique,becauseeachis perpendiculartoadifferentshapedface,sowewritea2(for 2fold) foreachaxis. 222

HermannMauguin Symbols
2. Writeanmforeach uniquemirrorplane.
A2

A2 m 3A2, 3m, i

Again,auniquemirrorplaneisonethatisnotproducedbyany othersymmetryoperation. Inthisexample,wecantellthateachmirrorisuniquebecauseeach onecutsadifferentlookingface.So,wewrite: 2m2m2m

A2

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HermannMauguin Symbols
3. Ifanyoftheaxesare perpendiculartoamirror planeweputaslash(/) betweenthesymbolfor theaxisandthesymbol forthemirrorplane.
A2 A2

A2 m 3A2, 3m, i

Inthiscase,eachofthe2foldaxesareperpendiculartomirror planes,sooursymbolbecomes: 2/m2/m2/m

HermannMauguin Symbols
A2

A2 m 3A2, 3m, i 2/m2/m2/m

A2

Ifyoulookinthetablegiveninthelecturenotes,youwillseethat thiscrystalmodelbelongstotheRhombicdipyramidal class.

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HermannMauguin Symbols
Secondexample: Modelhasone2foldaxisand2 mirrorplanes.Forthe2fold axis,wewrite: 2 Eachofthemirrorplanesis unique. Wecantellthatbecauseeach onecutsadifferentlooking face. So,wewrite2ms,onefor eachmirrorplane: 2mm
A2

1A2, 2m

HermannMauguin Symbols
Notethatthe2foldaxisisnot perpendiculartoamirror plane,soweneedno slashes.Ourfinalsymbolis then: 2mm Forthiscrystalclass,the conventionistowritemm2 ratherthan2mm. Ifyouconsultthetableinyour lecturenotes,youwillsee thatthiscrystalmodel belongstotheRhombic pyramidalclass.
A2

1A2, 2m

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HermannMauguin Symbols
Thirdexample: Contains14foldaxis,42foldaxes,5 mirrorplanes,andacenter. Notethatthe4foldaxisisunique. Thereare22foldaxesthatare perpendiculartoidenticalfaces, and22foldaxesrunningthrough theverticaledgesofthecrystal. Thus2unique2foldaxes,because A 2 theothersarerequiredbythe 4foldaxisperpendiculartothe topface. So,wewrite: 422

A4

m A2 A2 1A4, 4A2, 5m, i

A2

HermannMauguin Symbols
Althoughthereare5mirrorplanesin themodel,only3areunique. Twomirrorplanescutthefrontand sidefacesofthecrystal(red). Onlyoneisunique,becausethe otherisrequiredbythe4fold rotationaxis. A2 Another2mirrorplanescut diagonallyacrossthetopand downtheedges(blue).
A4

m A2 A2 1A4, 4A2, 5m, i

A2

Onlyoneisunique,theotherisgeneratedbythe4foldrotationaxis &previouslydiscussedmirrorplanes. Themirrorplanethatcutshorizontallythroughthecrystalandis perpendiculartothe4foldaxisisunique(violet). 422

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HermannMauguin Symbols
A4

Sincealluniquemirrorplanesare perpendiculartorotationaxes, ourfinalsymbolbecomes:

m A2 A2 A2 1A4, 4A2, 5m, i

4/m2/m2/m Lookinginthetableinthelecture notesweseethatthiscrystal belongstotheDitetragonal dipyramidal class.

A2

HermannMauguin Symbols
Lastexample mostcomplex: 34foldrotationaxes,eachof whichisperpendiculartoa squareshapedface(Blue) 43foldrotoinversion axes,each A 3 stickingoutofthecornersof thecube(Red) 62foldrotationaxes,stickingout A2 oftheedgesofthecube (Violet) A4 Inaddition,thecrystalhas9mirror A3 planes,andacenterof symmetry.
A3 A4 A2 A2

A4 m A2 A2 A2 A3

3A4, 6A2, 4A 3, 9m, i

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HermannMauguin Symbols
A3 Only1unique4foldaxis,because A4 A2 eachisperpendiculartoasimilar A2 lookingface(thefacesofthe A3 cube). A4 Onlyoneunique3foldrotoinversion m axes,becauseallofthemstick outofthecornersofthecube, A2 A2 andallarerelatedbythe4fold A4 A2 symmetry. A3 A2 Only1unique2foldaxis,becauseall A3 oftheothersstickoutofthe 3A4, 6A2, 4A 3, 9m, i edgesofthecubeandarerelated bythemirrorplanestheothersetof2foldaxes. So,wewritea4,a3,anda2foreachoftheuniquerotationaxes: _ 432

HermannMauguin Symbols
Thereare3mirrorplanesthatare perpendiculartothe4foldaxes, and6mirrorplanesthatare A perpendiculartothe2foldaxes. 3 Nomirrorplanesareperpendicular tothe3foldrotoinversion axes. So, ourfinalsymbolbecomes: A2 4/m32/m Consultingthetableinthelecture notes,revealsthatthiscrystal belongstothehexoctahedral crystalclass.
_
A4 A3 A2 A3 A3 A4 A2 A2

A4 m A2 A2

3A4, 6A2, 4A 3, 9m, i

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32CrystalClasses
The32crystalclassesrepresentthe32possiblecombinationsof symmetryoperations. Eachcrystalclasswillhavecrystalfacesthatuniquelydefinethe symmetryoftheclass. Thesefaces,orgroupsoffacesarecalledcrystalforms. Note:youarenotexpectedtomemorizethecrystalclasses,their names,orthesymmetryassociatedwitheachclass.Youwill, however,beexpectedtodeterminethesymmetrycontentof crystalmodels,afterwhichyoucanconsultthetablesinyour textbook,labhandouts,orlecturenotes.Alltestingonthis materialinthelabwillbeopenbook. Iwillnotbeabletocoverallofthe32classes. Youwill,however,seemanyofthe32classesduringyourworkin lab.

32CrystalClasses
The32crystalclassesaredividedinto6crystalsystems TriclinicSystemonly1foldor1foldrotoinversion axes. MonoclinicSystemonlymirrorplane(s)orasingle2foldaxis. OrthorhombicSystemonly2 foldaxesora2foldaxis&2mirror planes. TetragonalSystemeitherasingle4foldor4foldrotoinversion axis. HexagonalSystematleast16foldor3foldaxis. IsometricSystem either43foldaxesor43foldrotoinversion axes.

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32CrystalClasses
TriclinicSystem Characterizedbyonly1foldor1foldrotoinversion axis Pedial Class 1,Symmetrycontent none Inthisclassthereisnosymmetry,soallcrystalfacesareunique andarenotrelatedtoeachotherbysymmetry. SuchfacesarecalledPedions,thusthisisthePedial Class. Onlyafewraremineralsareinthisclass.

32CrystalClasses
TriclinicSystem Pinacoidal Class 1,Symmetrycontent i Sinceinthisclassthereisonlyacenterof symmetry,pairsoffacesarerelatedto eachotherthroughthecenter. Suchfacesarecalledpinacoids,thusthisis thepinacoidal class. Amongthecommonmineralswith pinacoidal crystalsare:microcline (Kfeldspar),plagioclase,turquoise,and wollastonite.

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32CrystalClasses
MonoclinicSystem Characterizedbyhavingonlymirrorplane(s)orasingle2foldaxis. Sphenoidal Class,2,Symmetrycontent 1A2 Inthisclassthereisasingle2foldrotationaxis. Facesrelatedbya2foldaxisarecalledsphenoids,thusthisisthe sphenoidal class. 2 Onlyraremineralsbelongtothisclass.

32CrystalClasses
MonoclinicSystem Domatic Class,m,Symmetrycontent 1m Thisclasshasasinglemirrorplane. Facesrelatedbyamirrorplanearecalleddomes,thusthisisthe domatic class. Only2raremineralscrystallizeinthisclass.

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32CrystalClasses
MonoclinicSystem PrismaticClass,2/m,Symmetrycontent 1A2,m,i
Hasasingle2foldaxisperpendiculartoa singlemirrorplane. Haspinacoid facesandprismfaces. Aprism definedas3ormoreidentical facesthatareallparalleltothesame line. Intheprismaticclass,theseprismsconsistof 4identicalfaces,2ofwhichareshownin thediagramonthefrontofthecrystal. Theothertwoareonthebacksideofthe crystal. Themostcommonmineralsthatoccurintheprismaticclassarethe micas(biotiteandmuscovite),azurite,chlorite,clinopyroxenes, epidote,gypsum,malachite,kaolinite,orthoclase,andtalc.

32CrystalClasses
OrthorhombicSystem Characterizedbyhavingonlytwofoldaxesora2foldaxisand2 mirrorplanes. Rhombic disphenoidal Class,222,Symmetrycontent 3A2 32foldaxisandnomirrorplanes. The2foldaxesareallperpendicularto eachother. Thedisphenoid facesthatdefinethis groupconsistof2facesontopof thecrystaland2facesonthe bottomofthecrystalthatare offsetfromeachotherby90o. 2 Epsomite isthemostcommonrare mineralofthisclass.
2

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32CrystalClasses
OrthorhombicSystem RhombicpyramidalClass,2mm(mm2),Symmetrycontent 1A2,2m Twoperpendicularmirrorplanesanda single2foldrotationaxis. Becauseitdoesnothaveacenterof symmetry,thefacesonthetopof thecrystaldonotoccuronthe bottom. Apyramid,isasetof3ormoreidentical facesthatintersectatapoint. Inthecaseoftherhombicpyramid, thesewouldbe4identicalfaces, labeledp,inthediagram.
p 2 p p

Hemimorphite isthemostcommonmineralwiththissymmetry.

32CrystalClasses
OrthorhombicSystem Rhombicdipyramidal Class,2/m2/m2/m,Symmetrycontent 3A2, 3m,i 2 Has3perpendicular2foldaxes perpendicularto3mirrorplanes. Thedipyramid facesconsistof4identical facesontopand4identicalfaceson thebottomthatarerelatedby reflectionacrossthehorizontal mirrorplaneorbyrotationaboutthe 2 horizontal2foldaxes.
m

2 m

Themostcommonmineralsinthisclassareandalusite, anthophyllite,aragonite,barite,cordierite,olivine,sillimanite, stibnite,sulfur,andtopaz.

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32CrystalClasses
TetragonalSystem Characterizedbyasingle4foldor4foldrotoinversion axis. TetragonalpyramidalClass,4,Symmetrycontent 1A4 Sincethisclasshasasingle4fold axisandnomirrorplanes, therearenopyramidfaceson thebottomofthecrystal. Wulfinite istheonlymineral knowntocrystallizeinthis class.
4

32CrystalClasses
TetragonalSystem Tetragonaldisphenoidal Class,4,Symmetrycontent 1A4 Withonlyasingle4foldrotoinversion axis,thedisphenoid facesconsistof twoidenticalfacesontop,andtwo identicalfacesonthebottom, offsetby90o. Notethattherearenomirrorplanesin thisclass. Onlyoneraremineralisknowntoform crystalsofthisclass.
_ _

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32CrystalClasses
TetragonalSystem Tetragonaldipyramidal Class,4/m,Symmetrycontent 1A4, 1m,i 4 Thisclasshasasingle4foldaxis perpendiculartoamirrorplane. Resultsin4pyramidfacesontopthat arereflectedacrossthemirror planetoform4identicalfaceson thebottomofthecrystal. Scheelite andscapolitearetheonly commonmineralsinthisclass.

32CrystalClasses
TetragonalSystem Tetragonaltrapezohedral Class,422,Symmetrycontent 1A4, 4A2 4 Thisclasshasa4foldaxis perpendicularto42foldaxes. Therearenomirrorplanes. Onlyoneraremineralbelongstothis class.

2 2 2

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32CrystalClasses
TetragonalSystem DitetragonalpyramidalClass,4mm,Symmetrycontent 1A4,4m Hasasingle4foldaxisand4mirror planes. Mirrorplanesarenotshowninthe diagram,butwouldcutthroughthe edgesandcenterofthefacesshown. Theditetragonal pyramidisasetof8 facesthatformapyramidonthetop ofthecrystal. Onlyoneraremineralformsinthecrystal class.

32CrystalClasses
TetragonalSystem _ _ Tetragonalscalenohedral Class,42m,SymmetryContent 1A4, 2A2,2m Hasa4foldrotoinversion axis perpendicularto22fold rotationaxes. The2mirrorplanesaparallelto theandareat45o tothe2fold axes. Chalcopyriteandstannitearethe onlycommonmineralswith crystalsinthisclass.
4

2 2

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32CrystalClasses
TetragonalSystem Ditetragonaldipyramidal Class,4/m2/m2/m,Symmetrycontent 1A4,4A2,5m,i 4 Hasasingle4foldaxisperpendicularto4 2foldaxes. Allofthe2foldaxesareperpendicularto mirrorplanes. Anothermirrorplaneperpendiculartothe 4foldaxis. Fifthmirrorplaneisthehorizontalplane.

2 2 2 2 2

2 2 2

Ditetragonaldipyramid consistsofthe8pyramid facesonthetopandthe8pyramidfacesonthe bottom. Commonmineralsthatoccurwiththissymmetryareanatase, cassiterite,apophyllite,zircon,andvesuvianite.

32CrystalClasses
NotethatIwillnothavetimeinlecturetocovertherestofthe32 crystalclasses,thatisthosebelongingtothehexagonaland isometricsystems. Thesearedifficulttodraw,andarebestleftforthestudentto study.

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