mineral
K-feldspar (Potassium Feldspar)
Potassium Feldspar (KAlSi3O8)
AI-generated identification · may be incorrectHardness of 6 on the Mohs scale, typically pink to reddish-orange color, vitreous to pearly luster, and good cleavage in two directions at nearly 90 degrees.
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Physical properties
Hardness of 6 on the Mohs scale, typically pink to reddish-orange color, vitreous to pearly luster, and good cleavage in two directions at nearly 90 degrees.
Formation & geological history
Forms primarily through the slow cooling of silica-rich magma in igneous environments like granites and pegmatites.
Uses & applications
Widely used in the manufacture of ceramics, glass, porcelain, and occasionally as a decorative or lapidary gemstone.
Geological facts
Potassium feldspar is one of the most abundant mineral groups in the Earth's continental crust, often exhibiting distinctive parallel striations or exsolution lamellae known as perthite.
Field identification & locations
Identified by its characteristic salmon-pink to reddish color and blocky crystal habit; commonly found in granitic pegmatites worldwide.
