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The carbonates are compounds of one or more metallic elements or semimetals with the carbonate radical. One member of this class, calcite, is sufficiently common to form large bodies of limestone, a sedimentary rock. The carbonates are brittle minerals , and many of them break easily along crystal directions to develop the characteristic rhombohedral cleavage. A few carbonate minerals are in bright colors, but many of them are white, colorless, or transparent. Chesterman, p. 431

Sources

Chesterman, Charles W. The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Rocks and Minerals, Alfred A. Knopf: New York (1987)

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-The '''carbonates''' are [[compounds]] of one or more [[metallic]] [[elements]] or [[semimetal|semimetals]] with the [[carbonate]] radical. One member of this class, [[calcite]], is sufficiently [[common]] to form large bodies of [[limestone]], a [[sedimentary]] [[rock]]. The carbonates are  [[brittle]] [[minerals]] , and many of them break easily along [[crystal]] directions to develop the characteristic [[rhombohedral]] [[cleavage]]. A few carbonate minerals are in bright [[color|colors]], but many of them are [[white]], [[colorless]], or [[transparent]]. Chesterman, p. 431
+The '''carbonates''' are [[compounds]] of one or more [[metallic]] [[elements]] or [[semimetal|semimetals]] with the [[carbonate]] radical. One member of this class, [[calcite]], is sufficiently [[common]] to form large bodies of [[limestone]], a [[sedimentary]] [[rock]]. The carbonates are  [[brittle]] [[minerals]] , and many of them break easily along [[crystal]] directions to develop the characteristic [[rhombohedral]] [[cleavage planes|cleavage]]. A few carbonate minerals are in bright [[color|colors]], but many of them are [[white]], [[colorless]], or [[transparent]]. Chesterman, p. 431
 =Sources=
 *Chesterman, Charles W. ''The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Rocks and Minerals'', Alfred A. Knopf: New York (1987)