, ▁where ▁the ▁min eral ' s ▁name ▁gets ▁its ▁origin . ▁Lap land ite ▁is ▁orth or h omb ic , ▁which ▁states ▁that ▁cry stal log raph ically , ▁it ▁contains ▁three ▁axes ▁of ▁une qual ▁lengths ▁that ▁all ▁intersect ▁at ▁ 9 0 ▁degrees , ▁per pend icular ▁to ▁one ▁another . ▁The ▁shape ▁of ▁the ▁cry stal ▁is ▁b ip y ram idal , ▁and ▁is ▁similar ▁in ▁structure ▁to ▁ol iv ine ▁or ▁a rag on ite . ▁Because ▁of ▁these ▁different ▁axes ▁lengths , ▁it ▁shows ▁an is otrop ism , ▁which ▁will ▁allow ▁for ▁the ▁visibility ▁of ▁b ire fr ing ence . ▁This ▁property ▁can ▁give ▁the ▁min eral ▁very ▁distinct ▁colors ▁when ▁viewed ▁under ▁cross - pol ar ization . ▁Lap land ite ▁has ▁three ▁different ▁indices ▁of ▁ref raction , ▁which ▁are ▁measures ▁of ▁the ▁speed ▁of ▁light ▁in ▁a ▁vac u um ▁divided ▁by ▁the ▁speed ▁of ▁light ▁within ▁the ▁min eral , ▁determined ▁individually ▁on ▁each ▁axis . ▁Due ▁to ▁these ▁different ▁indices , ▁Lap land ite ▁is ▁a ▁b ia x ial ▁min eral , ▁which ▁states ▁that ▁the ▁min eral ▁will ▁have ▁two ▁opt ic ▁axes . ▁Under ▁the ▁mic ros cope , ▁this ▁min eral ▁has ▁moder ate ▁relief , ▁which ▁describes ▁the ▁contrast ▁between ▁Lap land ite ' s ▁ref ract ive ▁index ▁and ▁the ▁ref ract ive ▁index ▁of ▁the ▁mount ing ▁medium ▁on ▁which ▁it ▁is ▁placed . ▁The ▁relief ▁can ▁be ▁seen ▁phys ically