nepheline

American  

[nef-uh-lin] / ˈnɛf ə lɪn /

Also nephelite

noun

1. a feldspathoid mineral, essentially sodium aluminum silicate, NaAlSiO 4 , occurring in alkali-rich volcanic rocks.

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nepheline British  

/ ˈnɛfɪlɪn, ˈnɛfɪˌlaɪt, -ˌliːn /

noun

1. a whitish mineral consisting of sodium potassium aluminium silicate in hexagonal crystalline form: used in the manufacture of glass and ceramics. Formula: (Na,K)(AlSi) 2 O 4

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Etymology

Origin of nepheline

1805–15; < French néphéline, equivalent to néphél- (< Greek nephélē cloud) + -ine -ine ²

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

nepheline

The flows from Kibo include nepheline and leucite basanite lavas rich in soda felspars.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 4, Part 3 "Brescia" to "Bulgaria" by Various

Even with the help of the microscope nepheline basalts are not always easy to determine, as the crystals may be exceedingly small and imperfect, and they readily decompose into analcite and zeolites.

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

These last consist of an intermixture of nepheline or sodalite and alkali-felspar.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 4, Slice 3 "Borgia, Lucrezia" to "Bradford, John" by Various

Most nepheline basalts are fine grained, very dark coloured rocks, and belong to the Tertiary period.

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

Typical nepheline-dolerites are scarce, and consist of idiomorphic augite, surrounded by nepheline.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 8, Slice 6 "Dodwell" to "Drama" by Various