Albite
A valid IMA mineral species - grandfathered
This page kindly sponsored by Norman King
About Albite
Formula:
Na(AlSi3O8)
Colour:
White to gray or colorless, uncommonly blue tinted or rarely green or red tinted, while much included albite may be strongly colored..
Lustre:
Vitreous, Sub-Vitreous
Hardness:
6 - 6½
Specific Gravity:
2.6 - 2.65
Crystal System:
Triclinic
Member of:
Name:
Named in 1815 by Johan Gottlieb Gahn and Jöns Jacob Berzelius from Latin "albus", white, alluding to its usual color.
Co-Type Localities:
Polymorph of:
One of the most common members of the Feldspar group.
Low- and high-temperature structural modifications exist ('low albite' and 'high albite'), with ordered and disordered Al-Si distribution, respectively.
The Na-rich end member of the Albite-Anorthite Series (= Plagioclase). Usually also included by petrologists in the alkali feldspar group, especially High Albite, but not in Mindat.
Often associated with potassium feldspar (triclinic microcline or monoclinic orthoclase), with which it may form epitaxial intergrowths.
Low- and high-temperature structural modifications exist ('low albite' and 'high albite'), with ordered and disordered Al-Si distribution, respectively.
The Na-rich end member of the Albite-Anorthite Series (= Plagioclase). Usually also included by petrologists in the alkali feldspar group, especially High Albite, but not in Mindat.
Often associated with potassium feldspar (triclinic microcline or monoclinic orthoclase), with which it may form epitaxial intergrowths.
Visit gemdat.org for gemological information about Albite.
Unique Identifiers
IMA Classification of Albite
Approved, 'Grandfathered' (first described prior to 1959)
Classification of Albite
9.FA.35
9 : SILICATES (Germanates)
F : Tektosilicates without zeolitic H2O
A : Tektosilicates without additional non-tetrahedral anions
9 : SILICATES (Germanates)
F : Tektosilicates without zeolitic H2O
A : Tektosilicates without additional non-tetrahedral anions
Dana 7th ed.:
76.1.3.1
76.1.3.1
76 : TECTOSILICATES Al-Si Framework
1 : Al-Si Framework with Al-Si frameworks
76 : TECTOSILICATES Al-Si Framework
1 : Al-Si Framework with Al-Si frameworks
16.2.1
16 : Silicates Containing Aluminum and other Metals
2 : Aluminosilicates of Na
16 : Silicates Containing Aluminum and other Metals
2 : Aluminosilicates of Na
Mineral Symbols
As of 2021 there are now IMAâCNMNC approved mineral symbols (abbreviations) for each mineral species, useful for tables and diagrams.
Please only use the official IMAâCNMNC symbol. Older variants are listed for historical use only.
Please only use the official IMAâCNMNC symbol. Older variants are listed for historical use only.
Symbol | Source | Reference |
---|---|---|
Ab | IMAâCNMNC | Warr, L.N. (2021). IMAâCNMNC approved mineral symbols. Mineralogical Magazine, 85(3), 291-320. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43 |
Ab | Kretz (1983) | Kretz, R. (1983) Symbols of rock-forming minerals. American Mineralogist, 68, 277â279. |
Ab | Siivolam & Schmid (2007) | Siivolam, J. and Schmid, R. (2007) Recommendations by the IUGS Subcommission on the Systematics of Metamorphic Rocks: List of mineral abbreviations. Web-version 01.02.07. IUGS Commission on the Systematics in Petrology. download |
Ab | Whitney & Evans (2010) | Whitney, D.L. and Evans, B.W. (2010) Abbreviations for names of rock-forming minerals. American Mineralogist, 95, 185â187 doi:10.2138/am.2010.3371 |
Ab | The Canadian Mineralogist (2019) | The Canadian Mineralogist (2019) The Canadian Mineralogist list of symbols for rock- and ore-forming minerals (December 30, 2019). download |
Ab | Warr (2020) | Warr, L.N. (2020) Recommended abbreviations for the names of clay minerals and associated phases. Clay Minerals, 55, 261â264 doi:10.1180/clm.2020.30 |
Physical Properties of Albite
Vitreous, Sub-Vitreous
Transparency:
Transparent, Translucent, Opaque
Comment:
Pearly on cleavages
Colour:
White to gray or colorless, uncommonly blue tinted or rarely green or red tinted, while much included albite may be strongly colored..
Comment:
May be chatoyant. Originally, Henry J. Brooke (1822) believed that most albite was either pale blue or pale red, but the most common colors of albite from today's perspective are white to colorless.
Streak:
White
Hardness:
6 - 6½ on Mohs scale
Tenacity:
Brittle
Cleavage:
Perfect
on [001], good on [010], imperfect on {110}
on [001], good on [010], imperfect on {110}
Fracture:
Irregular/Uneven, Conchoidal
Density:
2.6 - 2.65 g/cm3 (Measured) 2.615(6) g/cm3 (Calculated)
Optical Data of Albite
Type:
Biaxial (+)
RI values:
nα = 1.528 - 1.533 nβ = 1.532 - 1.537 nγ = 1.538 - 1.542
2V:
Measured: 45° , Calculated: 76° to 82°
Max Birefringence:
δ = 0.010
Image shows birefringence interference colour range (at 30µm thickness)
and does not take into account mineral colouration.
and does not take into account mineral colouration.
Surface Relief:
Low
Dispersion:
r < v weak
Comments:
Biaxial - for high variety.
Chemistry of Albite
Mindat Formula:
Na(AlSi3O8)
Elements listed:
Common Impurities:
Ca,K,Mg
Chemical Analysis
Oxide wt%:
1 | |
---|---|
SiO2 | 66.31 % |
Al2O3 | 20.61 % |
MgO | 0.07 % |
CaO | 0.41 % |
MnO | 0.00 % |
FeO | 0.02 % |
Na2O | 11.61 % |
K2O | 0.11 % |
Total: | 99.14 % |
Sample references:
ID | Locality | Reference | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Beluga sapphire property, Kimmirut, Baffin Island, Qikiqtaaluk Region, Nunavut, Canada |
Crystallography of Albite
Crystal System:
Triclinic
Class (H-M):
1 - Pinacoidal
Cell Parameters:
a = 8.16 Å, b = 12.87 Å, c = 7.11 Å
α = 93.45°, β = 116.4°, γ = 90.28°
α = 93.45°, β = 116.4°, γ = 90.28°
Ratio:
a:b:c = 0.634 : 1 : 0.552
Unit Cell V:
667.19 Ă
Âł (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:
4
Morphology:
Crystals commonly tabular parallel {010} (thin plates to blocky crystals), may be curved, to 3 cm; divergent aggregates, granular, cleavable massive.
Twinning:
Common around [010] or perpendicular {010}, giving polysynthetic striae on 001 or {010}; many other laws, contact, simple and multiple.
Comment:
High and low forms; both are described in the non-standard space-group C-1 (chosen by convention to facilitate comparison with C-centred monoclinic orthoclase and sanidine). The reduced cell is: a = 7.158, b = 7.438, c = 7.713 Ă
, α = 115.068, ÎČ = 107.321, Îł = 100.431° (cell from Armbruster et al., 1990).
Crystallographic forms of Albite
Crystal Atlas:
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Data courtesy of the American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database. Click on an AMCSD ID to view structure
ID | Species | Reference | Link | Year | Locality | Pressure (GPa) | Temp (K) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
0019652 | Albite | Harlow G E (1982) The anorthoclase structures: The effects of temperature and composition American Mineralogist 67 975-996 | 1982 | Grande Calderira, Azores | 0 | 293 | |
0019653 | Albite | Harlow G E (1982) The anorthoclase structures: The effects of temperature and composition American Mineralogist 67 975-996 | 1982 | Grande Calderira, Azores | 0 | 673 | |
0019654 | Albite | Harlow G E (1982) The anorthoclase structures: The effects of temperature and composition American Mineralogist 67 975-996 | 1982 | Mt Gibele, Pantelleria Islands, Italy | 0 | 293 | |
0019655 | Albite | Harlow G E (1982) The anorthoclase structures: The effects of temperature and composition American Mineralogist 67 975-996 | 1982 | Mt Gibele, Pantelleria Islands, Italy | 0 | 783 | |
0019656 | Albite | Harlow G E (1982) The anorthoclase structures: The effects of temperature and composition American Mineralogist 67 975-996 | 1982 | Kakanui, New Zealand | 0 | 293 | |
0019657 | Albite | Harlow G E (1982) The anorthoclase structures: The effects of temperature and composition American Mineralogist 67 975-996 | 1982 | Kakanui, New Zealand | 0 | 1023 | |
0019660 | Albite | FitzGerald J D, Parise J B, Mackinnon I D R (1986) Average structure of an An48 plagioclase from the Hogarth Ranges American Mineralogist 71 1399-1408 | 1986 | Hogarth Ranges, northern New South Wales, Australia | 0 | 293 | |
0019661 | Albite | FitzGerald J D, Parise J B, Mackinnon I D R (1986) Average structure of an An48 plagioclase from the Hogarth Ranges American Mineralogist 71 1399-1408 | 1986 | Hogarth Ranges, northern New South Wales, Australia | 0 | 293 | |
0000536 | Albite | Prewitt C T, Sueno S, Papike J J (1976) The crystal structures of high albite and monalbite at high temperatures feldspar American Mineralogist 61 1213-1225 | 1976 | synthetic | 0 | 297 | |
0000537 | Albite | Prewitt C T, Sueno S, Papike J J (1976) The crystal structures of high albite and monalbite at high temperatures feldspar American Mineralogist 61 1213-1225 | 1976 | synthetic | 0 | 623 | |
0000538 | Albite | Prewitt C T, Sueno S, Papike J J (1976) The crystal structures of high albite and monalbite at high temperatures feldspar American Mineralogist 61 1213-1225 | 1976 | synthetic | 0 | 873 | |
0000539 | Albite | Prewitt C T, Sueno S, Papike J J (1976) The crystal structures of high albite and monalbite at high temperatures feldspar American Mineralogist 61 1213-1225 | 1976 | synthetic | 0 | 1023 | |
0000540 | Albite | Prewitt C T, Sueno S, Papike J J (1976) The crystal structures of high albite and monalbite at high temperatures feldspar American Mineralogist 61 1213-1225 | 1976 | synthetic | 0 | 1223 | |
0000541 | Albite | Prewitt C T, Sueno S, Papike J J (1976) The crystal structures of high albite and monalbite at high temperatures feldspar American Mineralogist 61 1213-1225 | 1976 | synthetic | 0 | 1363 | |
0000542 | Albite | Prewitt C T, Sueno S, Papike J J (1976) The crystal structures of high albite and monalbite at high temperatures feldspar American Mineralogist 61 1213-1225 | 1976 | synthetic | 0 | 1378 | |
0000595 | Albite | Winter J K, Ghose S, Okamura F P (1977) A high-temperature study of the thermal expansion and the anisotropy of the sodium atom in low albite American Mineralogist 62 921-931 | 1977 | 0 | 773 | ||
0000596 | Albite | Winter J K, Ghose S, Okamura F P (1977) A high-temperature study of the thermal expansion and the anisotropy of the sodium atom in low albite American Mineralogist 62 921-931 | 1977 | 0 | 1023 | ||
0000597 | Albite | Winter J K, Ghose S, Okamura F P (1977) A high-temperature study of the thermal expansion and the anisotropy of the sodium atom in low albite American Mineralogist 62 921-931 | 1977 | 0 | 1243 | ||
0000694 | Albite | Keefer K D, Brown G E (1978) Crystal structures and compositions of sanidine and high albite in cryptoperthitic intergrowth Note this sample of feldspar is from the Rabb Canyon pegmatite, Grant County, New Mexico, USA American Mineralogist 63 1264-1273 | 1978 | 0 | 293 | ||
0000715 | Albite | Winter J K, Okamura F P, Ghose S (1979) A high-temperature structural study of high albite, monalbite, and the analbite - monalbite phase transition American Mineralogist 64 409-423 | 1979 | Tiburon, Marin County, California, USA | 0 | 298 | |
0000716 | Albite | Winter J K, Okamura F P, Ghose S (1979) A high-temperature structural study of high albite, monalbite, and the analbite - monalbite phase transition American Mineralogist 64 409-423 | 1979 | Tiburon, Marin County, California, USA | 0 | 773 | |
0000717 | Albite | Winter J K, Okamura F P, Ghose S (1979) A high-temperature structural study of high albite, monalbite, and the analbite - monalbite phase transition American Mineralogist 64 409-423 | 1979 | Tiburon, Marin County, California, USA | 0 | 1023 | |
0000718 | Albite | Winter J K, Okamura F P, Ghose S (1979) A high-temperature structural study of high albite, monalbite, and the analbite - monalbite phase transition American Mineralogist 64 409-423 | 1979 | Tiburon, Marin County, California, USA | 0 | 1253 | |
0000719 | Albite | Winter J K, Okamura F P, Ghose S (1979) A high-temperature structural study of high albite, monalbite, and the analbite - monalbite phase transition American Mineralogist 64 409-423 | 1979 | Tiburon, Marin County, California, USA | 0 | 1313 | |
0000720 | Albite | Winter J K, Okamura F P, Ghose S (1979) A high-temperature structural study of high albite, monalbite, and the analbite - monalbite phase transition American Mineralogist 64 409-423 | 1979 | Tiburon, Marin County, California, USA | 0 | 1253 | |
0000721 | Albite | Winter J K, Okamura F P, Ghose S (1979) A high-temperature structural study of high albite, monalbite, and the analbite - monalbite phase transition American Mineralogist 64 409-423 | 1979 | Tiburon, Marin County, California, USA | 0 | 1333 | |
0000797 | Albite | Harlow G E, Brown G E (1980) Low albite: An X-Ray and neutron diffraction study American Mineralogist 65 986-995 | 1980 | 0 | 293 | ||
0000798 | Albite | Harlow G E, Brown G E (1980) Low albite: An X-Ray and neutron diffraction study American Mineralogist 65 986-995 | 1980 | 0 | 293 | ||
0000799 | Albite | Harlow G E, Brown G E (1980) Low albite: An X-Ray and neutron diffraction study American Mineralogist 65 986-995 | 1980 | 0 | 293 | ||
0000800 | Albite | Harlow G E, Brown G E (1980) Low albite: An X-Ray and neutron diffraction study American Mineralogist 65 986-995 | 1980 | 0 | 293 | ||
0001015 | Albite | Smith J V, Artioli G (1986) Low albite, NaAlSi3O8: Neutron diffraction study of crystal structure at 13 K American Mineralogist 71 727-733 | 1986 | Amelia, Virginia, USA | 0 | 13 | |
0001285 | Albite | Armbruster T, Burgi H B, Kunz M, Gnos E, Bronnimann S, Lienert C (1990) Variation of displacement parameters in structure refinements of low albite American Mineralogist 75 135-140 | 1990 | Roc Tourne, France | 0 | 293 | |
0001682 | Albite | Downs R T, Hazen R M, Finger L W (1994) The high-pressure crystal chemistry of low albite and the origin of the pressure dependency of Al-Si ordering American Mineralogist 79 1042-1052 | 1994 | 0 | 293 | ||
0001683 | Albite | Downs R T, Hazen R M, Finger L W (1994) The high-pressure crystal chemistry of low albite and the origin of the pressure dependency of Al-Si ordering American Mineralogist 79 1042-1052 | 1994 | 0 | 293 | ||
0001684 | Albite | Downs R T, Hazen R M, Finger L W (1994) The high-pressure crystal chemistry of low albite and the origin of the pressure dependency of Al-Si ordering American Mineralogist 79 1042-1052 | 1994 | 0.44 | 293 | ||
0001685 | Albite | Downs R T, Hazen R M, Finger L W (1994) The high-pressure crystal chemistry of low albite and the origin of the pressure dependency of Al-Si ordering American Mineralogist 79 1042-1052 | 1994 | 1.22 | 293 | ||
0001686 | Albite | Downs R T, Hazen R M, Finger L W (1994) The high-pressure crystal chemistry of low albite and the origin of the pressure dependency of Al-Si ordering American Mineralogist 79 1042-1052 | 1994 | 2.68 | 293 | ||
0001687 | Albite | Downs R T, Hazen R M, Finger L W (1994) The high-pressure crystal chemistry of low albite and the origin of the pressure dependency of Al-Si ordering American Mineralogist 79 1042-1052 | 1994 | 3.78 | 293 | ||
0002264 | Albite | Meneghinello E, Alberti A, Cruciani G (1999) Order-disorder process in the tetrahedral sites af albite American Mineralogist 84 1144-1151 | 1999 | Stintino, Sardinia, Italy | 0 | 293 | |
0002265 | Albite | Meneghinello E, Alberti A, Cruciani G (1999) Order-disorder process in the tetrahedral sites af albite American Mineralogist 84 1144-1151 | 1999 | Stintino, Sardinia, Italy | 0 | 293 | |
0002266 | Albite | Meneghinello E, Alberti A, Cruciani G (1999) Order-disorder process in the tetrahedral sites af albite American Mineralogist 84 1144-1151 | 1999 | Stintino, Sardinia, Italy | 0 | 293 | |
0002267 | Albite | Meneghinello E, Alberti A, Cruciani G (1999) Order-disorder process in the tetrahedral sites af albite American Mineralogist 84 1144-1151 | 1999 | Stintino, Sardinia, Italy | 0 | 293 | |
0002268 | Albite | Meneghinello E, Alberti A, Cruciani G (1999) Order-disorder process in the tetrahedral sites af albite American Mineralogist 84 1144-1151 | 1999 | Stintino, Sardinia, Italy | 0 | 293 | |
0002269 | Albite | Meneghinello E, Alberti A, Cruciani G (1999) Order-disorder process in the tetrahedral sites af albite American Mineralogist 84 1144-1151 | 1999 | Stintino, Sardinia, Italy | 0 | 293 | |
0002270 | Albite | Meneghinello E, Alberti A, Cruciani G (1999) Order-disorder process in the tetrahedral sites af albite American Mineralogist 84 1144-1151 | 1999 | Stintino, Sardinia, Italy | 0 | 293 | |
0002271 | Albite | Meneghinello E, Alberti A, Cruciani G (1999) Order-disorder process in the tetrahedral sites af albite American Mineralogist 84 1144-1151 | 1999 | Stintino, Sardinia, Italy | 0 | 293 | |
0003798 | Albite | Benusa M D, Angel R J, Ross N L (2005) Compression of albite, NaAlSi3O8 American Mineralogist 90 1115-1120 | 2005 | 6.489 | 293 | ||
0003799 | Albite | Benusa M D, Angel R J, Ross N L (2005) Compression of albite, NaAlSi3O8 American Mineralogist 90 1115-1120 | 2005 | 8.411 | 293 | ||
0003800 | Albite | Benusa M D, Angel R J, Ross N L (2005) Compression of albite, NaAlSi3O8 American Mineralogist 90 1115-1120 | 2005 | 9.431 | 293 | ||
0006422 | Albite | Kroll H, Flogel J, Breit U, Lons J, Pentinghaus H (1991) Order and anti-order in Ge-substituted alkali feldspars European Journal of Mineralogy 3 739-749 | 1991 | 0 | 293 | ||
0006423 | Albite | Kroll H, Flogel J, Breit U, Lons J, Pentinghaus H (1991) Order and anti-order in Ge-substituted alkali feldspars European Journal of Mineralogy 3 739-749 | 1991 | 0 | 293 | ||
0006424 | Albite | Kroll H, Flogel J, Breit U, Lons J, Pentinghaus H (1991) Order and anti-order in Ge-substituted alkali feldspars European Journal of Mineralogy 3 739-749 | 1991 | 0 | 293 | ||
0019658 | Albite | Phillips M W, Colville A A, Ribbe P H (1971) The crystal structures of two oligoclases: a comparison with low and high albite Zeitschrift fur Kristallographie 133 43-65 | 1971 | Camedo, Switzerland | 0 | 293 | |
0019659 | Albite | Phillips M W, Colville A A, Ribbe P H (1971) The crystal structures of two oligoclases: a comparison with low and high albite Zeitschrift fur Kristallographie 133 43-65 | 1971 | Camedo, Switzerland | 0 | 293 | |
0012863 | Albite | Gualtieri A F (2000) Accuracy of XRPD QPA using the combined Rietveld-RIR method Journal of Applied Crystallography 33 267-278 | 2000 | Baveno, Novara, Italy | 0 | 293 |
CIF Raw Data - click here to close
Epitaxial Relationships of Albite
Epitaxial Minerals:
Orthoclase | K(AlSi3O8) |
Microcline | K(AlSi3O8) |
X-Ray Powder Diffraction
Image Loading
Radiation - Copper Kα
Data courtesy of RRUFF project at University of Arizona, used with permission.
Powder Diffraction Data:
d-spacing | Intensity |
---|---|
3.196 Ă | (100) |
3.780 Ă | (25) |
6.39 Ă | (20) |
3.684 Ă | (20) |
4.030 Ă | (16) |
3.663 Ă | (16) |
2.933 Ă | (16) |
Comments:
Low albite. Amelia, Virginia, USA.
Geological Environment
Paragenetic Mode(s):
Geological Setting:
A major constituent of granites and granite pegmatites, alkalic diorites, basalts, and in hydrothermal and alpine veins. A product of potassium metasomatism and in low-temperature and low-pressure metamorphic facies and in some schists. Detrital and authigenic in sedimentary rocks.
Type Occurrence of Albite
Synonyms of Albite
Other Language Names for Albite
Bosnian:Albit
Croatian:Albit
Czech:Albit
Dutch:Albiet
Esperanto:Albito
Estonian:Albiit
Finnish:Albiitti
French:Albite
Hebrew:ŚŚŚŚŚ
Hungarian:Albit
Italian:Albite
Japanese:æčé·çł
Latvian:Albīts
Lithuanian:Albitas
Norwegian:Albitt
Polish:Albit
Portuguese:Albite
Russian:ĐĐ»ŃбОŃ
Serbian:ĐлбОŃ
Simplified Chinese:é éżçł
Slovak:Albit
Slovenian:Albit
Swedish:Albit
Turkish:Albit
Ukrainian:ĐĐ»ŃбŃŃ
Varieties of Albite
Albite Moonstone | |
Analbite (of Winchell) | Anorthoclase with less than 10% KAlSi3O8 |
Andesine | A plagioclase feldspar with an albite : anorthite molar ratio ranging from 50 : 50 to 70 : 30. Originally described from Marmato Mine, Marmato, Cauca, Chocó Department, Colombia. Crystals are rare, to 2 cm; commonly massive, cleavable, or granular. Cr... |
Anorthoclase | Feldspar Group . Anorthoclase is strictly a K-rich variety of albite. It was long used (and still is by petrologists) as an intermediate member of the high albite – sanidine (alkali feldspar) solid solution series, in which the albite member exists in la... |
Anorthoclase-Sanidine | Feldspar Group. An unnecessary name for a variety of Anorthoclase with the tabular habit of sanidine but the optical extinction of Anorthoclase. Originally reported from Drachenfels, Königswinter, Siebengebirge, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. |
Cleavelandite | Platy milky-white lamellae, generally found in granite pegmatites often in large masses ranging from centimeters to meters. The defining feature of cleavelandite is an abundance of parallel platy and/or aggregates or curved curved masses. The crystals of ... |
High Albite | Stable above 800°C - usually formed in hydrothermal syntheses, has disordered Al-Si arrangement (in contrast to 'low albite'). |
Lazur-Feldspath | A blue feldspar found with Lapis Lazuli near Lake Baikal, Russia |
Low Albite | Stable below 700°C with an ordered Si-Al arrangement, in contrast to 'high albite'. |
Oligoclase | A plagioclase feldspar with an albite : anorthite molar ratio ranging from 90 : 10 to 70 : 30. Originally described from Danvikstull, Stockholm, Södermanland, Sweden. |
Oligoclase-Albite | A variety of Oligoclase with Anorthite:Albite between 80:20 and 90:10. Now regarded as a superflous subdivision of Oligoclase. [Clark, 1993 - "Hey's Mineral Index"] Originally described from Dypingdal Serpentine-magnesite deposit, Snarum, Modum, Buskerud... |
Pericline | A variety of albite occurring as milky-white, elongated (along the b-axis) crystals, generally in alpinotype clefts. Interestingly, Breithaupt (1823) defines the morphology originally as tabular. |
Peristerite | A variety of albite showing slight iridescence and sometimes adularescence (as in moonstone). |
Sodic Albite | An albite with an albite:anorthite ratio of less than 5:95. |
Zygadite | Zygadite variety of albite consists of an unusual crystallographic habit: tabular crystals with a steeply acute morphology. |
Relationship of Albite to other Species
Common Associates
Associated Minerals Based on Photo Data:
3,002 photos of Albite associated with Quartz | SiO2 |
2,199 photos of Albite associated with Muscovite | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
1,176 photos of Albite associated with Microcline | K(AlSi3O8) |
1,033 photos of Albite associated with Elbaite | Na(Li1.5Al1.5)Al6(Si6O18)(BO3)3(OH)3(OH) |
1,033 photos of Albite associated with Smoky Quartz | SiO2 |
1,011 photos of Albite associated with Fluorapatite | Ca5(PO4)3F |
1,007 photos of Albite associated with Aquamarine | Be3Al2Si6O18 |
937 photos of Albite associated with Schorl | NaFe2+3Al6(Si6O18)(BO3)3(OH)3(OH) |
702 photos of Albite associated with Spessartine | Mn2+3Al2(SiO4)3 |
497 photos of Albite associated with Aegirine | NaFe3+Si2O6 |
Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping
9.FA. | Hexacelsian | BaAl2Si2O8 |
9.FA. | Wodegongjieite | KCa3(Al7Si9)O32 |
9.FA.05 | Kaliophilite | KAlSiO4 |
9.FA.05 | Kalsilite | KAlSiO4 |
9.FA.05 | Nepheline | Na3K(Al4Si4O16) |
9.FA.05 | Panunzite | (K,Na)AlSiO4 |
9.FA.05 | Trikalsilite | K2NaAl3(SiO4)3 |
9.FA.05 | Yoshiokaite | (Ca,Na)[Al(Al,Si)O4] |
9.FA.05 | Carnegieite | NaAlSiO4 |
9.FA.05 va | Germanate-nepheline | (Na,K)AlGeO4 |
9.FA.05 | Megakalsilite | KAlSiO4 |
9.FA.05 | Trinepheline | NaAlSiO4 |
9.FA.05 | Davidsmithite | (Ca,â»)2Na6Al8Si8O32 |
9.FA.10 | Malinkoite | NaBSiO4 |
9.FA.15 | Virgilite | LiAlSi2O6 |
9.FA.25 | Lisitsynite | KBSi2O6 |
9.FA.30 | Buddingtonite | (NH4)(AlSi3O8) |
9.FA.30 | Celsian | Ba(Al2Si2O8) |
9.FA.30 | Microcline | K(AlSi3O8) |
9.FA.30 | Orthoclase | K(AlSi3O8) |
9.FA.30 | Sanidine | K(AlSi3O8) |
9.FA.30 | Rubicline | Rb(AlSi3O8) |
9.FA.30 va | Germanate-celsian | BaAl2Ge2O8 |
9.FA.30 | Monalbite | NaAlSi3O8 |
9.FA.30 | Ferrisanidine | K[Fe3+Si3O8] |
9.FA.35 | Anorthite | Ca(Al2Si2O8) |
9.FA.35 | Reedmergnerite | NaBSi3O8 |
9.FA.40 | Paracelsian | Ba(Al2Si2O8) |
9.FA.45 | Svyatoslavite | Ca(Al2Si2O8) |
9.FA.45 | Kumdykolite | Na(AlSi3O8) |
9.FA.50 | Slawsonite | Sr(Al2Si2O8) |
9.FA.55 | Lisetite | CaNa2Al4Si4O16 |
9.FA.60 | Banalsite | Na2BaAl4Si4O16 |
9.FA.60 | Stronalsite | Na2SrAl4Si4O16 |
9.FA.65 | Danburite | CaB2Si2O8 |
9.FA.65 | Maleevite | BaB2Si2O8 |
9.FA.65 | Pekovite | SrB2Si2O8 |
9.FA.70 | Stöfflerite | CaAl2Si2O8 |
9.FA.70 | Lingunite | (Na,Ca)AlSi3O8 |
9.FA.70 | Liebermannite | KAlSi3O8 |
9.FA.75 | Kokchetavite | K(AlSi3O8) |
9.FA.75 | Pfaffenbergite | KNa3(Al4Si12)O32 |
Other Information
Health Risks:
No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.
Albite in petrology
An essential component of rock names highlighted in red, an accessory component in rock names highlighted in green.
- Igneous rock
- Normal crystalline igneous rock
- Exotic crystalline igneous rock
- Pegmatite
- Metamorphic rock
- Meteorite and other extra-terrestrial rock and sediment
Internet Links for Albite
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-96.html
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References for Albite
Reference List:
Significant localities for Albite
Showing 21 significant localities out of 11,569 recorded on mindat.org.
Locality List
- This locality has map coordinates listed.
- This locality has estimated coordinates.
â - Click for references and further information on this occurrence.
? - Indicates mineral may be doubtful at this locality.
- Good crystals or important locality for species.
- World class for species or very significant.
(TL) - Type Locality for a valid mineral species.
(FRL) - First Recorded Locality for everything else (eg varieties).
Struck out - Mineral was erroneously reported from this locality.
Faded * - Never found at this locality but inferred to have existed at some point in the past (e.g. from pseudomorphs).
All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.
All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.
Antarctica | |
| [var: Anorthoclase] Dov Bahat (1979) +2 other references |
Canada | |
| [var: Oligoclase] Age of the Cabonga nepheline syenite +3 other references |
Colombia | |
| [var: Andesine] Tassinari et al. (2008) |
France | |
| Piccoli (2002) +1 other reference |
Germany (TL) | |
| August Breithaupt (1843) |
Italy | |
| Piccoli et al. (2007) |
| Giacomino et al. (1986) +1 other reference |
| [var: Anorthoclase] [Foerstner] Förstner H. (1877) +18 other references |
Spain | |
| Garcia G. et al. (2004) |
Sweden (TL) | |
| Gahn et al. (1815) +1 other reference |
| [var: Oligoclase] Clark (1993) |
Switzerland | |
| Erik Vercammen photo & specimen (Bought at the Fiesch-show in 2003) |
USA | |
| Mauthner (2008) |
| [var: Cleavelandite] The Williamson Southern Group National ... |
| Cameron et al (1954) +2 other references |
| Moritz (n.d.) |
Hobbs (1901) +2 other references | |
| Brunet (1977) |
| Former Ed Force collection |
| [var: Cleavelandite] Shannon (1920) +1 other reference |
| Mineralogical Magazine 1902 13 : 97-121. +2 other references |
Yedlin (1967) | |
Foye (1922) | |
| USGS Professional Paper 255: 333-338. +3 other references |
| Bartsch (1940) |
| Cahoon (2005) |
| [var: Cleavelandite] "Western Massachusetts Mineral ... +1 other reference |
| D.Court collection |
| Miller (1971) |
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Poudrette quarry, Mont Saint-Hilaire, La Vallée-du-Richelieu RCM, Montérégie, Québec, Canada