Think about the mineral salt. It is made of cube- shaped crystals. No matter where you find it — on your table or at the beach — its crystals will be shaped like cubes. Look at the pictures of the crystals that make up diamonds, quartz, muscovite, and topaz. How would you describe their crystal shape?

The same mineral can have different colors. This is caused by small amounts of different elements that got into the mineral when it was forming. While the color of a mineral may vary, its crystal shape is always the same.

For example, diamonds can be clear, yellow, pink, and even blue, but its crystals will always have eight faces (sides).