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plagioclase

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plagioclase

Any member of the series of abundant feldspar minerals that usually occur as light- to medium-grey-coloured, transparent to translucent grains or crystals. Plagioclase ranges in composition from albite to anorthite. It is used in the manufacture of glass and ceramics; iridescent varieties are valued as gemstones. The primary importance of plagioclase, however, derives from its role as a rock-forming mineral.


plagioclase [′plā·jē·ə‚klās]
(mineralogy)
A type of triclinic feldspars having the general formula (Na,Ca)Al(Si,Al)Si2O8; they are common rock-forming minerals.
A series in the plagioclase group which can be divided into a number of varieties based on the relative proportion of the solid solution end members, albite and anorthite (An): albite (An 0-10) oligoclase (An 10-30), andesine (An 30-50), labradorite (An 50-70), bytownite (An 70-90), and anorthite (An 90-100). Also known as sodium-calcium feldspar.


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Despite the inclusion of statements such as 'all contain sanidine in the groundmass as well as significant amounts of plagioclase .
The mineralogy is 40% plagioclase (3% of which is myrmekitic), 29% quartz, 28% potassium feldspar (microcline and orthoclase), 3% biotite, with trace magnetite and rare epidote and chlorite.
About half of MSH is crystalline in nature, primarily plagioclase, a series of compounds beginning with sodium aluminum silicate (NaAl[Si.
 
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