Mineral Factbook

Albite

Na(AlSi3O8)IMA symbol: Abgrandfathered

Albite is a silicate mineral with the formula Na(AlSi3O8), crystallizing in the triclinic system. It has a Mohs hardness of 5.5, typically white, red or yellow in color, a specific gravity of 2.63-2.66. Its streak is white.

Photos

Albite specimen photo
Hannes Grobe · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Albite specimen photo
thisisbossi from Washington, DC, USA · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Commons
Albite specimen photo
Ronald Werner · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Albite specimen photo
Moreau.henri · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons

Crystallography

Crystal systemtriclinic crystal systemWikidata (CC0)
Space groupC -1
Cell (Å, °)a = 8.14588, b = 12.7973, c = 7.15775; α = 94.2451, β = 116.6, γ = 87.8
Cell volume665.342 ų, Z = 4
Axial ratios0.6365:1:0.5593calculated from COD 9009663
Source structureCOD 9009663 (Journal of Applied Crystallography, 2000) — 1 of 79 structures

Powder X-ray diffraction (calculated)

2θ (degrees, Cu Kα1)I/I₀ (max 100)
d (Å)3.1944.0323.193.2163.6643.155
I/I₀10083.352.650.24131.6

xrd-v1: CuKa1 1.5406A, 2theta 5-90, top10, Imax=100, no DW/PO. Computed from COD 9009663; idealized occupancies, no preferred orientation.

Physical properties

Density (calculated)2.621 g/cm³calculated from COD 9009663
Hardness (Mohs)
5.5single sourceDana, System of Mineralogy, 6th ed. (1892)
Specific gravity
2.63-2.66 g/cm3corroboratedDana, System of Mineralogy, 6th ed. (1892)
Color
red, white, yellowsingle sourceDana, System of Mineralogy, 6th ed. (1892)
Streak
whitesingle sourceWikidata (CC0)

Chemistry (calculated)

Molecular weight262.22 g/molcalculated from the IMA formula
Composition (wt%)Na 8.77%, Al 10.29%, Si 32.13%, O 48.81%

Classification

Nickel-Strunz (10th)9.FA.35Wikidata (CC0)
Nickel-Strunz (9th)9.FA.35Wikidata (CC0)
Dana (8th)76.1.3.1Wikidata (CC0)