7/11/2017 Labradorite: Labradorite mineral information and data.

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Labradorite
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Photos of Labradorite (147)

Labradorite Labradorite Labradorite

Nain Complex, Labrador, Newfoundland and Southwestern Region, Tular Province, Madagascar Norcross labradorite quarry, Bokonaky, Maniry
Labrador, Canada Commune, Ampanihy District, Southwestern Region,
Tular Province, Madagascar

Labradorite Labradorite Labradorite

Nain Complex, Labrador,
Newfoundland and Labrador,
Canada
Southwestern Region, Tular Province, Norcross labradorite quarry,
Madagascar Bokonaky, Maniry Commune,
Ampanihy District, Southwestern
Region, Tular Province,
Madagascar

Labradorite
Nain Complex, Labrador, Newfoundland and Labrador,
Canada

Labradorite
Southwestern Region, Tular Province, Madagascar

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7/11/2017 Labradorite: Labradorite mineral information and data.

Formula: (Ca,Na)[Al(Al,Si)Si 2 O 8 ]

Colour: Pale green, blue, ... Lustre: Sub-Vitreous

Hardness: 6 - 6 Member of: Feldspar Group

Name: From the occurrence at Ford Harbour, Paul Island,Labrador, Canada (Nain anorthosite).

A plagioclase feldspar with an albite : anorthite molar ratio ranging from 30 : 70 to 50 : 50.
An intermediate member of the Albite-Anorthite Series.

Originally found at Ford Harbour, Paul Island, near Nain, off the east coast of Labrador, Newfoundland and Labrador [56 30' N, 61 30' W].

Visit gemdat.org for gemological information about Labradorite.

Classification of Labradorite
Strunz 8th ed.: 8/J.07-50

Nickel-Strunz 9.FA.35
10th (pending)
ed.: 9 : SILICATES (Germanates)
F : Tektosilicates without zeolitic H2O
A : Tektosilicates without additional non-tetrahedral anions

Physical Properties of Labradorite

Lustre: Sub-Vitreous

Colour: Pale green, blue, colourless, grey-white

Streak: White

Hardness 6 - 6
(Mohs):
Cleavage: Perfect

Optical Data of Labradorite

Type: Biaxial (+)

RI values: n = 1.554 - 1.563 n = 1.559 - 1.568 n = 1.562 - 1.573

2V: Measured: 85 , Calculated: 78 to 86

Max = 0.008 - 0.010

Birefringence: Image shows birefringence interference colour range (at 30m thickness) and does not take into account mineral colouration.

Surface Relief: Low

Dispersion: none

Chemical Properties of Labradorite

Formula: (Ca,Na)[Al(Al,Si)Si 2 O 8 ]

Elements listed Al, Ca, Na, O, Si - search for minerals with similar chemistry
in formula:

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7/11/2017 Labradorite: Labradorite mineral information and data.

X-Ray Powder
Diffraction:

Radiation - Copper K
Data Set: unknown 874
Data courtesy of RRUFF project at University of Arizona, used with permission.

Relationship of Labradorite to other Species

Member of: Feldspar Group

Other Members Albite Na(AlSi 3 O 8 )

of Group:
Amazonite K(AlSi 3 O 8 )

Andesine (Na,Ca)[Al(Si,Al)Si 2 O 8 ]

Anorthite Ca(Al 2 Si 2 O 8 )

Anorthoclase (Na,K)AlSi 3 O 8

Banalsite Na 2 BaAl 4 Si 4 O 16

Buddingtonite (NH 4 )(AlSi 3 )O 8

Bytownite (Ca,Na)[Al(Al,Si)Si 2 O 8 ]

Celsian Ba(Al 2 Si 2 O 8 )

Dmisteinbergite Ca(Al 2 Si 2 O 8 )

Filatovite K(Al,Zn) 2 (As,Si) 2 O 8

Hexacelsian BaAl 2 Si 2 O 8

Hyalophane (K,Ba)[Al(Si,Al)Si 2 O 8 ]

Kokchetavite K(AlSi 3 O 8 )

Kumdykolite Na(AlSi 3 O 8 )

Microcline K(AlSi 3 O 8 )

Oligoclase (Na,Ca)[Al(Si,Al)Si 2 O 8 ]

Orthoclase K(AlSi 3 O 8 )

Paracelsian Ba(Al 2 Si 2 O 8 )

Reedmergnerite NaBSi 3 O 8

Rubicline Rb(AlSi 3 O 8 )

Sanidine K(AlSi 3 O 8 )

Slawsonite Sr(Al 2 Si 2 O 8 )

Stronalsite Na 2 SrAl 4 Si 4 O 16

A variety of feldspar (microcline or oligoclase) that has schiller, commonly with an orange/brown background color,
Sunstone
...

Svyatoslavite Ca(Al 2 Si 2 O 8 )

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7/11/2017 Labradorite: Labradorite mineral information and data.

Related Minerals 9.FA.05 Kaliophilite KAlSiO 4

- Nickel-Strunz
Grouping): 9.FA.05 Kalsilite KAlSiO 4

9.FA.05 Nepheline (Na,K)AlSiO 4

9.FA.05 Panunzite (K,Na)AlSiO 4

9.FA.05 Trikalsilite (K,Na)AlSiO 4

9.FA.05 Yoshiokaite (Ca,Na)[Al(Al,Si)O 4 ]

9.FA.05 Megakalsilite KAlSiO 4

9.FA.10 Malinkoite NaBSiO 4

9.FA.15 Virgilite LiAlSi 2 O 6

9.FA.25 Lisitsynite KBSi 2 O 6

9.FA.30 Adularia KAlSi 3 O 8

9.FA.30 Anorthoclase (Na,K)AlSi 3 O 8

9.FA.30 Buddingtonite (NH 4 )(AlSi 3 )O 8

9.FA.30 Celsian Ba(Al 2 Si 2 O 8 )

9.FA.30 Hyalophane (K,Ba)[Al(Si,Al)Si 2 O 8 ]

9.FA.30 Microcline K(AlSi 3 O 8 )

9.FA.30 Orthoclase K(AlSi 3 O 8 )

9.FA.30 Sanidine K(AlSi 3 O 8 )

9.FA.30 Rubicline Rb(AlSi 3 O 8 )

9.FA.30 Monalbite NaAlSi 3 O 8

9.FA.35 Albite Na(AlSi 3 O 8 )

9.FA.35 Andesine (Na,Ca)[Al(Si,Al)Si 2 O 8 ]

9.FA.35 Anorthite Ca(Al 2 Si 2 O 8 )

9.FA.35 Bytownite (Ca,Na)[Al(Al,Si)Si 2 O 8 ]

9.FA.35 Oligoclase (Na,Ca)[Al(Si,Al)Si 2 O 8 ]

9.FA.35 Reedmergnerite NaBSi 3 O 8

9.FA.40 Paracelsian Ba(Al 2 Si 2 O 8 )

9.FA.45 Svyatoslavite Ca(Al 2 Si 2 O 8 )

9.FA.45 Kumdykolite Na(AlSi 3 O 8 )

9.FA.50 Slawsonite Sr(Al 2 Si 2 O 8 )

9.FA.55 Lisetite CaNa 2 Al 4 Si 4 O 16

9.FA.60 Banalsite Na 2 BaAl 4 Si 4 O 16

9.FA.60 Stronalsite Na 2 SrAl 4 Si 4 O 16

9.FA.65 Danburite CaB 2 Si 2 O 8

9.FA.65 Maleevite BaB 2 Si 2 O 8

9.FA.65 Pekovite SrB 2 Si 2 O 8

9.FA.70 Lingunite (Na,Ca)AlSi 3 O 8

9.FA.75 Kokchetavite K(AlSi 3 O 8 )

Other Names for Labradorite

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7/11/2017 Labradorite: Labradorite mineral information and data.

Synonyms: Black Moonstone Labrador Feldspar Mauilite Radauite

Carnatite Labrador Moonstone Opaline Feldspar Silicite

Name in Other Czech: Labradorit

Languages:
Dutch: Labradoriet

Finnish: Labradoriitti

French: Labradorite

German: Labradorit
Carnatit
Mauilit
Radauit
Silicit
Spectrolith
Spektrolith

Hebrew:

Italian: Labradorite

Japanese:

Lithuanian: Labradoritas

Norwegian Labrador
(Bokml):
Polish: Labrador

Portuguese: Labradorite

Russian:

Simplified Chinese:

Slovak: Labradorit

Spanish: Labradorita
Carnatita
Mauilita
Radauita
Silicita
Spectrolita

Ukrainian:

Varieties: Lynx Eye Spectrolite

Other Information
Health Risks: No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.

Labradorite in petrology
An essential component of (items highlighted in red)

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7/11/2017 Labradorite: Labradorite mineral information and data.

Igneous rock
Normal crystalline igneous rock
Coarse-grained ("plutonic") crystalline igneous rock
Granitoid
Granodiorite
Microgranodiorite
Volhynite
Syenitoid
Alkali-feldspar-syenite
Elkhornite
Syenite
Microsyenite
Rafaelite (of Johannsen)
Monzonite
Highwoodite
Gabbroid
Gabbro
Clinopyroxene-gabbro
Analcime-gabbro
Teschenite
Anorthositoid
Anorthosite
Calciclasite
Labradoritite
Foid-syenitoid
Foid-monzosyenite
Nepheline-monzosyenite
Allochetite
Leucite-monzosyenite
Sommaite
Foid-gabbroid
Foid-gabbro
Nepheline-gabbro
Theralite
Fine-grained ("volcanic") normal crystalline igneous rock
Trachytoid
Trachyandesite
Banakite
Trachybasalt
Anorthoclase basalt
Andesitoid
Andesite
Glassy andesite
Bandaite
Tephritoid
Tephrite
Melanocratic tephrite
Buchonite

Accessory component of (items highlighted in red)

Igneous rock
Normal crystalline igneous rock
Coarse-grained ("plutonic") crystalline igneous rock
Coarse-grained-ultramafic-rock
Peridotite
Dunite
Cumberlandite

References for Labradorite

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7/11/2017 Labradorite: Labradorite mineral information and data.

Reference List: Rose. G. (1823): ber den Feldspat, Albit, Labradorit und Anorthit, Annalen der Physik und Chemie, Vol. 73/NF-43, 175-208.

Acta Crystallographica (1988): B44: 344.

Hans Boysen & Stefan Kek (2015): The modulated structure of labradorite. Zeitschrift fr Kristallographie - Crystalline Materials 230, 2335.

http://rruff.info/doclib/hom/labradorite.pdf

Jin, S. & Xu, H. (2017): Study on structure variations of incommensurately modulated labradorite feldspars with different cooling histories.
American Mineralogist: 102 (in press); http://forum.amiminerals.it/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=13473 (2017)

Internet Links for Labradorite

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