Albite
Mineral NaAlSi3O8
Also called Peristerite, Pericline, and Sodium feldspar
About it
The sodium plagioclase; cleavage faces show fine parallel twin striations. Platy white cleavelandite is common in pegmatites of Brazil, Maine, and California, often with tourmaline.
- Type
- Mineral
- Group
- Silicate (tectosilicate), feldspar group
- Formula
- NaAlSi3O8
- Hardness (Mohs)
- 6–6.5
- Specific gravity
- 2.6–2.65
- Streak
- white
- Lustre
- vitreous (glassy), pearly
- Crystal system
- Triclinic
- Colours
- white, colourless, grey, bluish, pink, green
- Transparency
- transparent, translucent
- Cleavage and fracture
- perfect and good in two directions at about 86°
Typical values: real specimens vary. For more, see mindat.org.