Albite vs Feldspar
Albite and Feldspar belong to the same mineral group and differ on 1 measured property — density most clearly.
Albite vs Feldspar
Albite
NaAlSi3O8
The sodium end of the plagioclase series, and the most common feldspar in evolved granites.
Feldspar
The most abundant mineral group in the Earth's crust — about six parts in ten of it, and the parent of most clay.
| Property | Albite | Feldspar |
|---|---|---|
| Crystal system Only one of the two has a figure we can stand behind, so there is nothing to compare. | triclinic | Not known |
| Density | 2.6–2.65 g/cm³ | 2.55–2.76 g/cm³ higher |
| Lustre Only one of the two has a figure we can stand behind, so there is nothing to compare. | vitreous | Not known |
| Mohs hardness Mohs hardness is an ordinal scale: values can be ranked, but differences and ratios between them are not meaningful. | 6–6.5 | 6–6.5 |
| Streak Only one of the two has a figure we can stand behind, so there is nothing to compare. | white | Not known |