feldspar
Sign in to saveFeldspar ( ; sometimes spelled felspar) is a group of rock-forming aluminium tectosilicate minerals, also containing other cations such as sodium, calcium, potassium, or barium. The most common members of the feldspar group are the plagioclase (sodium-calcium) feldspars and the alkali (potassium-sodium) feldspars. Feldspars make up about 60% of the Earth's crust and 41% of the Earth's continental crust by weight.
AI overview
Feldspar is a group of common minerals that contain aluminum and silica along with elements like sodium, calcium, potassium, or barium, with plagioclase and alkali feldspars being the most abundant types. It matters because feldspars make up roughly 60% of Earth's entire crust by weight, making them among the most important rock-forming minerals on the planet.
AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.
Key facts
- Mineral.name
- Feldspar
- Mineral.category
- Tectosilicate minerals
- Mineral.boxbgcolor
- eae6de
- Mineral.image
- Feldspar diversity.png
- Mineral.imagesize
- 350px
- Mineral.caption
- Feldspar minerals. Clockwise from top left: orthoclase, albite, microcline, and an indeterminate plagioclase
- Mineral.IMAsymbol
- Fsp
- Mineral.IMAstatus
- Mineral group
- Mineral.color
- pink, white, gray, brown, blue
- Mineral.system
- Triclinic or monoclinic
- Mineral.cleavage
- two or three
- Mineral.fracture
- along cleavage planes
Article
17 sectionsContents
- Etymology
- Compositions
- Alkali feldspars
- Ammonium feldspar
- Barium feldspars
- Plagioclase feldspars
- Structure
- Weathering
- Applications
- Production
- Commercial grades
- Extraterrestrial
- Gallery
- See also
- References
- Further reading
- External links
Feldspar ( ; sometimes spelled felspar) is a group of rock-forming aluminium tectosilicate minerals, also containing other cations such as sodium, calcium, potassium, or barium. The most common members of the feldspar group are the plagioclase (sodium-calcium) feldspars and the alkali (potassium-sodium) feldspars. Feldspars make up about 60% of the Earth's crust and 41% of the Earth's continental crust by weight.
Feldspars crystallize from magma as both intrusive and extrusive igneous rocks and are also present in many types of metamorphic rock. Rock formed almost entirely of calcic plagioclase feldspar is known as anorthosite. Feldspars are also found in many types of sedimentary rocks.