Albite Mineral: Properties, Identification and Collector Care
A–Z Minerals: A — Albite. A pale crystal beside another mineral may look unimportant. Albite is worth a closer look. It is a common feldspar that helps us understand many rocks. Albite (pericline), Ziller valley, Austria; specimen about 10 × 5 cm. Photo: Didier Descouens, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons . Image unchanged. What is albite? Albite is the sodium-rich end member of the plagioclase feldspar series. Its ideal formula is NaAlSi 3 O 8 . It has a triclinic crystal structure. In simple terms, this describes how its atoms are arranged. Albite properties at a glance Hardness: 6–6.5 on the Mohs scale. Color: commonly white or gray; other pale colors occur. Streak: white. Luster: glassy, sometimes pearly on cleavage surfaces. Specific gravity: about 2.60–2.65. Breakage: brittle, with strong cleavage directions. Where does it form? Albite occurs in granite, pegmatites and several other rocks. It also grows in some mineral veins. Quartz and mica may occur with it. Its name ...