Skip to main content

Cleavage

  • Reference work entry
  • First Online:
Dictionary of Geotourism
  • 3 Accesses

Cleavage is a type of planar rock feature with a thin, dense and potentially fractured structure that develops as a result of splitting induced by rock deformation. Non-deformed cleavage has straight planar surfaces with very strong ‘cleavability’. Based on its orientation, cleavage can be categorised as axial-plane cleavage, bedding cleavage and fan cleavage; and based on its continuity, it can be divided into continuous cleavage and discontinuous cleavage. According to the formation mechanism, it can be divided into fracture cleavage, flow cleavage and crenulation cleavage; whereas this is the most common classification method (Fig. 36).

Fig. 36
figure 336 figure 336

Crenulation cleavage. S1 dark minerals gathered at the limb of microcrenulation cleavage. S2 light minerals gathered in the hinge zone of microcrenulation cleavage

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 549.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD 699.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2020 Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.

About this entry

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this entry

(2020). Cleavage. In: Chen, A., Ng, Y., Zhang, E., Tian, M. (eds) Dictionary of Geotourism. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-2538-0_349

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics