mineral
Labradorite
(Ca,Na)(Al,Si)4O8
Hardness: 6-6.5 Mohs scale. Color: Gray, brown, or greenish with iridescent schiller flashes of blue, gold, violet, and orange (labradorescence). Luster: Vitreous to pearly. Crystal structure: Triclinic.
- Hardness
- 6-6
- Luster
- Vitreous to pearly
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Physical properties
Hardness: 6-6.5 Mohs scale. Color: Gray, brown, or greenish with iridescent schiller flashes of blue, gold, violet, and orange (labradorescence). Luster: Vitreous to pearly. Crystal structure: Triclinic.
Formation & geological history
Formed during the crystallization of mafic igneous rocks such as basalt, gabbro, and anorthosite. The iridescence is caused by light diffraction within sub-microscopic exsolution lamellae of differing feldspar compositions.
Uses & applications
Popular for lapidary work, jewelry, cabochons, carved ornamental pieces, and as a decorative building stone (anorthosite facings). Highly valued by mineral collectors.
Geological facts
Labradorite exhibits a unique optical phenomenon called labradorescence, which is an interference effect created by internal light scattering off micro-thin layers of feldspar within the crystal matrix.
Field identification & locations
Look for dark gray-green feldspar that shows a bright flash of iridescent spectral colors when rotated under a light source. Commonly found in Canada (Labrador), Madagascar, Finland (Spectrolite variant), Russia, and Australia.
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