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Microcline crystals
© Doug Merson
KAlSi
Microcline is one of the most common minerals at MSH and is found in virtually all associations.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS:
Color varies from white to tan to grey and rarely pale pink.
Luster is waxy to dull.
Diaphaneity is opaque.
Crystal System is triclinic; 1.
Crystal Habits include blocky, tabular, prismatic crystals to 30cm in
length (baveno twins to 15cm) .
Cleavage {001} and {010} are perfect.
Fracture is uneven to conchoidal.
Hardness is 6 – 6.5
Specific Gravity is approximately 2.6 g/cm
Streak is white.
Associated Minerals include almost all minerals.
Distinguishing Features: crystal habit and cleavage.
Origin: Named in 1830 from the Greek mikro, small and kleinen
to incline, alluding to the small deviation of its cleavages from 90°.
CLASSIFICATION:
Dana System
# 76.1.1.5
Strunz Classification
# VIII/J.06-30
REFERENCES:
MinRec 21:322 (1990), Dana 8:1605-1607 (1997)
DISTRIBUTION AND RARITY AT MONT SAINT-HILAIRE:
MSH
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