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FELDSPAR

Feldspar is a group of minerals characterized by alumina and silica, making up about 60% of the Earth's crust and found in various rock types. They exhibit distinct properties such as a blocky crystal habit, hardness of 6-6.5, and two cleavage planes intersecting at nearly right angles. Feldspar is crucial in industries like glassmaking and ceramics, serving as a source of alumina and used in products like glazes, paints, and plastics.

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FELDSPAR

Feldspar is a group of minerals characterized by alumina and silica, making up about 60% of the Earth's crust and found in various rock types. They exhibit distinct properties such as a blocky crystal habit, hardness of 6-6.5, and two cleavage planes intersecting at nearly right angles. Feldspar is crucial in industries like glassmaking and ceramics, serving as a source of alumina and used in products like glazes, paints, and plastics.

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cortesimeedelavin
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FELDSPAR

Feldspar is the name given to a group of


minerals distinguished by the presence of
alumina and silica (SiO2) in their chemistry.
This group includes aluminum silicates of
soda, potassium, or lime. It is the single most
abundant mineral group on Earth. They
account for an estimated 60% of exposed
rocks, as well as soils, clays, and other
unconsolidated sediments, and are principal
components in rock classification schemes.
The minerals included in this group are the
orthoclase, microcline and plagioclase
feldspars.
PROPERTIES OF FELDSPAR

All of the feldspar minerals exhibit a blocky


crystal habit, hardness greater than glass, and
two directions of cleavage that meet at nearly
right angles. Together with their non-metallic
luster and typically opaque character, these
properties will usually distinguish feldspars
from other common non-metallic minerals.
Type: Mineral

Mineral Classification: SilicateChemical

Formula:KAlSi3O8 – NaAlSi3O8 –
CaAl2Si2O8

Streak:White

Hardness:6-6.5::

Crystal System:triclinic, monoclinic

Color:pink, white, gray, brown

Luster:Vitreous

Fracture:conchoidal, uneven
CLEAVAGE

Feldspars have two cleavage planes


that intersect at 90°. Fragments of
pure feldspar crystals thus tend to
form rectangular blocks with
irregular ends. Feldspars have
vitreous lusters and occur in opaque
shades of white to gray to pink to
very dark gray.
HARDNESS
As a group, feldspars range from
transparent to nearly opaque, have
nonmetallic lustres—typically
vitreous to subvitreous on fractures
and pearly or porcelaneous on
cleavage surfaces, exhibit two
cleavages—one perfect, the other
good—at or near 90° to each other,
and have a Mohs hardness of
approximately 6
CRISTAL HABIT
They occur in a wide range of colors,
such as colorless, white, gray, brown,
yellow, and green, with a translucent
and opaque luster. Feldspar minerals
also have two cleavage planes at or
near 90 degrees with each other.
They form a prismatic and tabular
habit with clear crystal faces.
IMPORTANCE OF FELDSPAR
They are the most abundant mineral group,
constituting about 60% of the Earth's crust. The
most common economic deposits of feldspars
are in pegmatites. Most commercial varieties are
alkali feldspars or sodium-rich feldspars.
Feldspar is an important source of alumina in the
glassmaking and the ceramics industries
APPLICATION OF FELDSPAR
Feldspar is an important source of alumina
in the glassmaking and the ceramics
industries. In ceramics, it acts as a flux and
provides the vitreous lustre of chinaware
and ceramic tiles. It is used in glazes and
enamels and is an important mineral filler in
paints, plastics, sealants, and adhesives.
WHERE CAN WE FOUND
FELDSPAR?
Feldspar can be found in the earth crust,
in igneous rocks and metamorphic rocks,
in sedimentary rocks and in veins and
pegmatites. It also found in the moon
and mars.
WHAT COUNTRY CAN BE
FOUND A FELDSPAR?
In the United States, feldspar is mined in
the North Carolina, Oklahoma, Idaho,
Geogia, California, South Dakota and
Virginia. The largest feldspar mining
countries in the area are Italy, Turkey,
China and Thailand.
THANK YOU
report by: Delos Reyes and Lupango

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