What is so important about crystal structure in minerals?

Question

What is so important about crystal structure in minerals?

Answer 1

crystal structure determines strength, among other things.

consider, carbon can be

coal

graphite

diamond.

coal and graphite are relatively weak.

diamond is very strong.

if you compare the bonds of diamond with those of graphite, it's pretty obvious why diamond is so much stronger.

and, if you think about it, it would be quite difficult to design a geometric structure that is stronger than diamond.

carbon is the 2nd in the following link.

Answer 2

"In chemistry, mineralogy, and materials science, a crystal is a solid in which the constituent atoms, molecules, or ions are packed in a regularly ordered, repeating pattern extending in all three spatial dimensions."

Answer 3

A mineral is defined by its crystal structure and its chemistry.  You can have different minerals with the same chemical formula but different crystal structures, and they are then different minerals.  e.g. Al2SiO3 can crystallise as kyanite, sillimanite or andalusite depending on the conditions of pressure and temperature.