Cleavage

cleavage, tendency of a crystalline substance to split into fragments bounded by plane surfaces. Although cleavage surfaces are seldom as flat as crystal faces, the angles between them are highly characteristic and valuable in identifying a crystalline material.

Cleavage occurs on planes where the bonding forces are weakest. A crystal may be cleaved with equal ease in any direction that is parallel to crystallographically identical faces; for example, galena cleaves parallel to all faces of a cube. Cleavage is described by its direction (as cubic, prismatic, basal) and by the ease with which it is produced. A perfect cleavage produces smooth, lustrous surfaces with great ease. Other degrees include distinct, imperfect, and difficult. See also fracture.