This exercise is designed for a mid/upper-level undergraduate geology course on the principles of mineralogy.

Students should have knowledge of basic chemistry and of minerals equivalent to what they would learn in an introductory geology class.

This activity is the 34th of 36 mineralogy exercises and is used at the end of the course.

• Become familiar with simple basic crystal structures.
• Be able to identify and explain simple basic crystal structures.

• Learn to use graphics programs to make 2- and 3-dimensional drawings of crystal structures.
• Be able to relate drawings of crystal structures to ball and stick and other models.

Introduction to some basic crystal structures.

• Mineralogy Course Summary and Goals
• Mineralogy Course Syllabus
• Introduction to Crystal Structures: Bond Strength (Pauling's Rule #2)