albite

American  

[al-bahyt] / ˈæl baɪt /

noun

Mineralogy.

1. the sodium end member of the plagioclase feldspar group, light-colored and found in alkalic igneous rocks.

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albite British  

/ ˈælbaɪt /

noun

1. a colourless, milky-white, yellow, pink, green, or black mineral of the feldspar group and plagioclase series, found in igneous sedimentary and metamorphic rocks. It is used in the manufacture of glass and ceramics. Composition: sodium aluminium silicate. Formula: NaALSi 3 O 8 . Crystal structure: triclinic

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albite Scientific  

/ ăl′bīt′ /

1. A clear to milky white triclinic mineral of the plagioclase group. Albite is common in igneous rocks, especially granite, and in metamorphic rocks that formed at low temperatures. Chemical formula: NaAlSi ₃ O ₈ .

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Other Word Forms

• albitic
  adjective

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Etymology

Origin of albite

1835–45; < Latin alb ( us ) white + -ite ¹

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

albite

The albite is not unfrequently associated with olivine.

From Volcanic Islands by Charles Darwin

Practically all varieties of this mineral from anorthite to albite are known to occur in basalt, but by far the commonest species are bytownite and labradorite.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 3, Part 1, Slice 3 "Banks" to "Bassoon" by Various

Albite, the sodium felspar, has 68.8 per cent of silica, and the species between this and anorthite are regarded as mixtures of albite and anorthite molecules.

From The New Gresham Encyclopedia Volume 4, Part 3: Estremoz to Felspar by Various

The albite which the former contains undergoes a rapid decomposition, and yields abundance of soda along with some potash, which is seldom altogether wanting, while the hornblende supplies both lime and magnesia.

From Elements of Agricultural Chemistry by Thomas Anderson

The albite in these lavas is in a similar condition with the leucite of Vesuvius, and with the olivine, described by Von Buch, as projecting in great balls from the basalt of Lanzarote.

From Volcanic Islands by Charles Darwin

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