Microcline Mineral Data

Microcline Mineral Data +

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General Microcline Information

Chemical Formula:

KAlSi3O8

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 278.33 gm

Potassium 14.05 % K 16.92 % K₂O

Aluminum 9.69 % Al 18.32 % Al₂O₃

Silicon 30.27 % Si 64.76 % SiO₂

Oxygen 45.99 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

KAlSi₃O₈

Environment:

Granitic pegmatites, hydrothermal and metamorphic rocks.

IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1830

Locality:

Common world wide occurrences. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

From the Greek mikron - "little" and klinein - "to stoop."

Synonym:

Amazonstone - green

Microcline Image

Images:

Microcline Ferrocolumbite

Comments: Blocky, dark brown ferrocolumbite on pale greenish blue amazonite (microcline).
Location: Crystal Park, El Paso Co., Colorado, USA. Scale: 2.5 x 1.5 cm.
© Fabre Minerals

Images:

Microcline

Comments: Opaque blocky tan crystal of microcline.
Location: Moat Mountain, near Conway, Carroll County, New Hampshire, USA. Scale: See Photo.
© Jeff Weissman / Photographic Guide to Mineral Species

Microcline Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:b:c =0.6614:1:0.557

Cell Dimensions:

a = 8.577, b = 12.967, c = 7.223, Z = 4; alpha = 90.65°, beta = 115.933°, gamma = 87.783° V = 721.85 Den(Calc)= 2.56

Crystal System:

Triclinic - PinacoidalH-M Symbol ( 1) Space Group: C1

$Help on X Ray Diffraction:$ X Ray Diffraction:

By Intensity(I/I_o): 3.292(1), 3.241(0.96), 4.225(0.58),

Crystal Structure:

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Bailey S W , American Mineralogist , 54 (1969) p.1540-1545, Refinement of an intermediate microcline structure

View Additional jPOWD Structure files for Microcline
[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9]

Physical Properties of Microcline

Cleavage:

[001] Perfect, [010] Good

Color:

Bluish green, Green, Gray, Grayish yellow, Yellowish.

Density:

2.56

Diaphaniety:

Translucent to transparent

Fracture:

Uneven - Flat surfaces (not cleavage) fractured in an uneven pattern.

Habit:

Blocky - Crystal shape tends to be equant (e.g. feldspars).

Habit:

Crystalline - Coarse - Occurs as well-formed coarse sized crystals.

Habit:

Prismatic - Crystals Shaped like Slender Prisms (e.g. tourmaline).

Hardness:

6 - Orthoclase

Luminescence:

Non-fluorescent.

Luster:

Vitreous (Glassy)

Streak:

white

Optical Properties of Microcline

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= 0.01 (Superior) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= 0.01 (Superior) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.2038,KPDmeas= 0.2038,KC= 0.2058

Optical Data:

Biaxial (-), a=1.518, b=1.522, g=1.525, bire=0.0070, 2V(Calc)=80, 2V(Meas)=77-84. Dispersion relatively weak.

Pleochroism (x):

colorless.

Pleochroism (y):

colorless.

Pleochroism (z):

colorless.

Calculated Properties of Microcline

Electron Density:

r_electron=2.54 gm/cc
note: r_Microcline=2.56 gm/cc.

Fermion Index

Fermion Index = 0.01437
Boson Index = 0.98563

Photoelectric:

PE_Microcline= 2.85 barns/electron
U=PE_Microcline x r_electron= 7.23 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 200.97 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)

Estimated Radioactivity from Microcline - barely detectable

Microcline Classification

Dana Class:

76.1.1.5 (76)Tectosilicate Al-Si Framework

(76.1)with Al-Si frameworks

(76.1.1)K (Na,Ba) feldspars

76.1.1.1 Orthoclase KAlSi3O8 C 2/m 2/m

76.1.1.2 Sanidine (K,Na)(Si,Al)4O8 C 2/m 2/m

76.1.1.3 Hyalophane (K,Ba)Al(Si,Al)3O8 C 2/m 2/m

76.1.1.4 Celsian BaAl2Si2O8 I21/c 2/m

76.1.1.5 Microcline KAlSi3O8 C1 1

76.1.1.6 Anorthoclase (Na,K)AlSi3O8 C1 1

76.1.1.7 Rubicline! (Rb,K)AlSi3O8 P1 1

76.1.1.8 Filatovite! K[(Al,Zn)2(As,Si)2O8] I2/c 2/m

Strunz Class:

VIII/J.06-30 VIII - Silicates

VIII/J - Tectosilicates (network) without anions unfamiliar to the tetraheders

VIII/J.06 - Feldspar group, Buddingtonite - Orthoclase - Slawsonite series

VIII/J.06-10 Buddingtonite (NH4)AlSi3O8·0.5(H2O) P 2₁ or P 2₁/m Mono

VIII/J.06-15 Kokchetavite! KAlSi3O8 P 6/mmm(?) 6/m 2/m 2/m

VIII/J.06-20 Sanidine (K,Na)(Si,Al)4O8 C 2/m 2/m

VIII/J.06-30 Microcline KAlSi3O8 C1 1

VIII/J.06-35 Rubicline! (Rb,K)AlSi3O8 P1 1

VIII/J.06-40 Orthoclase KAlSi3O8 C 2/m 2/m

VIII/J.06-50 Hyalophane (K,Ba)Al(Si,Al)3O8 C 2/m 2/m

VIII/J.06-60 Celsian BaAl2Si2O8 I21/c 2/m

VIII/J.06-70 Paracelsian BaAl2Si2O8 P 2₁/c 2/m

VIII/J.06-80 Slawsonite (Sr,Ca)Al2Si2O8 P 2₁/a 2/m

Other Microcline Information

References:

NAME( Duda&Rejl90) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990) OPTIC PROP.(Mason68)

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Microcline

KAlSi3O8
Dana No: 76.1.1.5 Strunz No: VIII/J.06-30
Locality:

Notes: