Orthoclase Ingeous Rock Forming Mineral

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ORTHOCLASE #2

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Sample In Syenite
Sample In Alkali Granite
Sample In Rhyolite Porphyry

A feldspar mineral, pink, white,

greenish with two directions of
cleavage at 90 degrees. Cleavages
are well developed and
commonly seen in specimens in
rocks (for instance grains on the
left side of this specimen). The
third direction fractures, however,
and has an irregular, broken
appearance (grain toward upper
right). The surface is typically
opaque, that is, light does not
penetrate below the surface so the
specimen almost looks painted.
The clear, glassy, slightly gray
minerals in this specimen is
quartz.
In felsic igneous rocks
orthoclase is common and may
sometimes, when white, be
confused with Na plagioclase.
Pink orthoclase is distincive.
Note that there is a fair amount
of quartz in this specimen (the
clear, glassy grains in the rock).

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