Constituent
Name
Albite
IMA name
Albite
Class
silicate mineral
Compound type
tektosilicate
Comments
Albite: name by extension in the range Ca=0-10%, K=0-10% of $(Na,Ca,K)Al_2Si_2O_8$
Formula
$NaAlSi_3O_8$
Chemical formula
NaAlSi3O8
Elemental formula
Na Al Si3 O8
Isotope mixture type
terrestrial abundance
  Formula Name Family Number min-max Isotope mole fraction State Relevance
$Na$ Sodium element 1 constituent element main
$Al$ Aluminium element 1 constituent element main
$Si$ Silicon element 3 constituent element main
$O$ Oxygen element 8 constituent element main
Composition comments
Typical formula: Na0.95Ca0.05Al1.05Si2.95O8 - Common replacement: Ca, K - Common impurities: Mg
Oxides
Formula $Na_{2}O$ $CaO$ $K_{2}O$ $Al_{2}O_{3}$ $SiO_{2}$
Mass fraction (%) 12.26 20.35 67.39
Oxides comments
frequently also Na2O ~1%

Strunz

Class
silicates (09)
Division
tektosilicate without zeolitic H2O (09.F)
Family
Tektosilicates without additional non-tetrahedral anions, (Al,B):Si = 1:1 (09.FA)
Code
09.FA.35

Dana

Major class
silicates (VIII)
Class
tectosilicate Al-Si framework (76)
Type
with Al-Si frameworks (76.01)
Group
Plagioclase series (76.01.03)
Code
76.01.03.01
Phase type
crystalline
Crystal system
triclinic
Crystal class
pinacoidal
Crystal class symbol
-1 (Ci)
Crystal spacegroup
P-1
Texture
polycrystalline
Molar mass
263.02 $g/mol$
Density
2.61 - 2.63 $g/cm^3$
Refringence type
biaxial
Refringence sign
positive
Birefringence
0.009 - 0.010
Refraction index $n_{\alpha}$
1.528 - 1.533
Refraction index $n_{\beta}$
1.532 - 1.537
Refraction index $n_{\gamma}$
1.538 - 1.542
Dispersion V
r < v; weak (low)
Color
white, gray, greenish gray, bluish green
Diaphaneity
transparent to subtranslucent
Luster
vitreous