mineral
Polished pink feldspar (likely moonstone/sunstone-type feldspar)
Alkali feldspar, commonly orthoclase or microcline; KAlSi₃O₈
AI-generated identification · may be incorrectSalmon-pink, polished, and vitreous to pearly, with visible cleavage-like internal planes and darker iron-stained areas. Hardness is about 6–6.5 Mohs; feldspar is monoclinic or triclinic, with two good cleavage directions and specific gravity around 2.55–2.63.
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Physical properties
Salmon-pink, polished, and vitreous to pearly, with visible cleavage-like internal planes and darker iron-stained areas. Hardness is about 6–6.5 Mohs; feldspar is monoclinic or triclinic, with two good cleavage directions and specific gravity around 2.55–2.63.
Formation & geological history
Formed by crystallization in silica-rich igneous rocks such as granite and pegmatite, generally during Precambrian to younger geological events. The rounded shape is human-polished/tumbled.
Uses & applications
Used as a decorative stone, cabochon, lapidary material, and inexpensive collectible; feldspar is also important industrially in glass and ceramics.
Geological facts
The image does not show diagnostic blue adularescence or strong aventurescence, so a precise variety cannot be confirmed. It may be marketed as pink feldspar, pink moonstone, or orthoclase.
Field identification & locations
Identify by its pink color, glassy luster, cleavage, and moderate hardness; it should scratch glass but not quartz. The Niagara–Hamilton region commonly contains glacially transported granitic and metamorphic pebbles, making feldspar plausible, though this polished specimen may have originated elsewhere.
