Class

silicate mineral

Compound type

tektosilicate

Comments

Anorthite: name by extension in the range Na=0-10%, K=0-10% of $(Ca,Na,K)Al_2Si_2O_8$

	Formula	Name	Family	Number min-max	Isotope mole fraction	State	Relevance
	$Ca$	Calcium	element	1		constituent element	main
	$Al$	Aluminium	element	2		constituent element	main
	$Si$	Silicon	element	2		constituent element	main
	$O$	Oxygen	element	8		constituent element	main

Composition comments

Typical formula: Na0.05Ca0.95Al1.95Si2.05O8 - Common replacements: Na, K (limited solid solution) - Common impurities: Ti, Fe

Oxides

Formula	$CaO$	$Na_{2}O$	$K_{2}O$	$Al_{2}O_{3}$	$SiO_{2}$
Mass fraction (%)	19.76			35.84	44.4

Oxides comments

frequently also Na2O ~0.6% (CaO=19.2%)

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

76.01.03.06

Phase type

crystalline

Crystal system

triclinic

Crystal class

pinacoidal

Crystal class symbol

-1 (Ci)

Crystal spacegroup

P-1

Texture

polycrystalline

Molar mass

277.41 $g/mol$

Density

2.72 - 2.75 $g/cm^3$

Refringence type

biaxial

Refringence sign

negative

Birefringence

0.0110 - 0.0120

Refraction index $n_{\alpha}$

1.572 - 1.576

Refraction index $n_{\beta}$

1.5785 - 1.5832

Refraction index $n_{\gamma}$

1.583 - 1.588

Dispersion V

relatively weak

Color

colorless, gray, white, red, reddish gray

Diaphaneity

transparent to translucent

Luster

vitreous