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The only zeros of $f$, modulo the reciprocal lattice, are the two Dirac valleys in graphene,At these momenta ${\sum }_j\sin ({\mathbf{K}}_{\tau }\cdot {\mathbf{b}}_j)=\tau 3\sqrt{3}/2$. Thus the two Dirac mass coefficients, measured in energy units, are $m_{\tau }=M-\tau \mu$, with $\mu =3\sqrt{3}{t}_2\sin \varphi$. For $\mathbf{k}={\mathbf{K}}_{\tau }+\mathbf{q}$,The two Dirac cones have opposite orientation, encoded by $\tau$. A scalar sublattice offset $M$ gives equal-sign Dirac masses; imaginary second-neighbour hopping at $M=0$ gives opposite-sign Dirac masses. Both mechanisms open valley gapsAn observed band gap alone therefore cannot establish a Chern insulator. In particular, the gapless nearest-neighbour model of graphene and its sublattice-mass deformation should not be confused with the topologically nontrivial Haldane model.

A band gap closes when all three components of $\mathbf{d}$ vanish. Since $d_x=d_y=0$ only at the two valleys, the phase boundaries are exactly $M=\pm 3\sqrt{3}{t}_2\sin \varphi$. Usually one valley becomes massless; at $M=0$, $\sin \varphi =0$, both do. The occupied-band Chern number is undefined at every such touching, even if a numerical momentum grid misses its location.