Albite
Albite
General
Category	plagioclase, feldspar, tectosilicate
Chemical formula	NaAlSi3O8
Identification
Color	generally white
Crystal habit	pinacoidal forms
Crystal system	triclinic
Mohs scale hardness	6 - 6.5
Specific gravity	~2.62

Albite is a plagioclase feldspar mineral. It is the sodium endmember of the plagioclase solid solution series. As such it represents a plagioclase with less than 10% anorthite content. The pure albite endmember has the formula NaAlSi₃O₈. It is a tectosilicate. Its color is usually pure white, hence its name from Latin albus.

Albite crystallizes with triclinic pinacoidal forms. Its specific gravity is about 2.62 and it has a Mohs hardness of 6 - 6.5. Albite almost always exhibits crystal twinning often as minute parallel striations on the crystal face. Albite often occurs as fine parallel segregations alternating with pink microcline in perthite as a result of exolution on cooling. It occurs in granitic and pegmatite masses, in some hydrothermal vein deposits and forms part of the typical greenschist metamorphic assemblage for rocks of originally basaltic composition.

It was first reported in 1815 for an occurrence in Sweden. The name is from Latin, albus for the typical white color.

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