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Albite
Albite is tectosilicate (plagioclase feldspar), NaAlSi₃O₈. In the hand, it rates 6 to 6.5 on the Mohs scale, and it runs snow white and colorless. Snow-white feldspar with mirror-flash cleavage faces, often as curved fans of thin platy blades (cleavelandite) hosting gem crystals. Granites and pegmatites worldwide; showy cleavelandite from Brazil, Pakistan, California (USA).
The geology.
Albite carries the formula NaAlSi₃O₈. It belongs to the triclinic system. It is classified as tectosilicate (plagioclase feldspar).
It sits at 6 to 6.5 on the Mohs scale. The surface reads vitreous to pearly. Light behaviour is translucent to opaque. Specific gravity runs 2.60 to 2.63. The streak is white. It breaks with two cleavages near 90°.
Snow-white feldspar with mirror-flash cleavage faces, often as curved fans of thin platy blades (cleavelandite) hosting gem crystals.
You will most often meet it as platy cleavelandite blades, blocky crystals, sugary masses in pegmatite or matrix under tourmaline.
The origins.
Granites and pegmatites worldwide; showy cleavelandite from Brazil, Pakistan, California (USA).
On value, the database notes: common; sculptural cleavelandite specimens are mid-range.
Traditional associations.
In energy work traditions, albite carries little established lore; it is associated loosely with clarity and fresh starts.
People buy on this language, so it belongs on the page. It belongs under the facts, though, not over them.
Spotting the real thing.
Snow-white feldspar with mirror-flash cleavage faces, often as curved fans of thin platy blades (cleavelandite) hosting gem crystals.
| Looks like | How to tell them apart |
|---|---|
| Quartz (milky) | Quartz never shows flat cleavage flashes and is slightly harder |
| Calcite | Calcite fizzes and is far softer |
| Barite | Barite is much heavier and softer |
At-home tests.
You can run every one of these at a kitchen table. Good light matters more than gear when you are looking at albite.
| Test | What you should see |
|---|---|
| By eye | Flat cleavage flashes at two angles near 90° |
| Scratch check | Scratches glass with effort (Mohs 6+) |
| By eye | Fine parallel twinning striations on cleavage faces |
Anything that scratches, burns or dissolves the piece is a lab job. Get it appraised rather than testing it apart.
Care & handling.
At 6 to 6.5 on the Mohs scale it handles careful wear but scratches against quartz and dust. Store it separately and take rings off before rough work.
It breaks with two cleavages near 90°, which is worth knowing before you set it or drop it.
Warm water and a soft cloth clean almost everything. Ultrasonic tanks, steamers and household cleaners are where pieces get ruined.
A deeper look.
Extended detail on composition, sourcing, authentication and market value.
The physical record
The formula on record is NaAlSi₃O₈. Crystal system: Triclinic. Specific gravity: 2.60 to 2.63. Streak: White. Cleavage and fracture: Two cleavages near 90°.
How it reaches the market
Granites and pegmatites worldwide; showy cleavelandite from Brazil, Pakistan, California (USA).
What it gets confused with
Quartz (milky): Quartz never shows flat cleavage flashes and is slightly harder. Calcite: Calcite fizzes and is far softer. Barite: Barite is much heavier and softer.
What it is worth
Common; sculptural cleavelandite specimens are mid-range.
One more thing
The finest tourmaline and aquamarine specimens usually stand on a snowy stage of albite, the gem world's favorite pedestal.
An education-first guide.
No product links here. We do not sell albite, and a guide that only covers our own shelves would not be much of a guide.
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