Gems of the Feldspar Mineral Group

Feldspar is the most common mineral found at the surface of the earth. There are two basic varieties of feldspar: Orthoclase (Potassium Feldspar) and Plagioclase (Calcium-Sodium Feldspar). The term feldspar came from German meaning “field split.” Very well named as feldspars have a bad property for gemstones-perfect cleavage. Here are some of the most common gems of the feldspar group.

Amazonite

Amazonite was originally found in Brazil, hence its name.  It is an opaque greenish sodium feldspar   (plagioclase).  It is sensitive to pressure (perfect cleavage).  Hardness is 6, which makes it moderately soft for jewelry use.  As can be seen from the picture, the color distribution is not even.

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Gems of the Feldspar Mineral Group