Plagioclase - Plagioclase Series Members

Plagioclase Series Members

The composition of a plagioclase feldspar is typically denoted by its overall fraction of anorthite (%An) or albite (%Ab), and readily determined by measuring the plagioclase crystal's refractive index in crushed grain mounts, or its extinction angle in thin section under a polarizing microscope. The extinction angle is an optical characteristic and varies with the albite fraction (%Ab). There are several named plagioclase feldspars that fall between albite and anorthite in the series. The following table shows their compositions in terms of constituent anorthite and albite percentages.

Plagioclase minerals and their compositions
% An = % CaAl2Si2O8
% Ab = % NaAlSi3O8
Name % An % Ab
Anorthite
90–100 10–0
Bytownite
70–90 30–10
Labradorite
50–70 50–30
Andesine
30–50 70–50
Oligoclase
10–30 90–70
Albite
0–10 100–90

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