What is Feldspar?
Feldspar is by far the most abundant group of minerals in the earth’s crust, forming about 60% of terrestrial rocks. Most deposits offer sodium feldspar as well as potassium feldspar and mixed feldspars. Feldspars are primarily used in industrial applications for their alumina and alkali content. The term feldspar encompasses a whole range of materials. Most of the products we use on a daily basis are made with feldspar: glass for drinking, glass for protection, fiberglass for insulation, the floor tiles and shower basins in our bathrooms, and the tableware from which we eat. Feldspar is part of our daily life. Feldspar minerals are essential components in igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks, to such an extent that the classification of a number of rocks is based upon feldspar content. The mineralogical composition of most feldspars can be expressed in terms of the ternary system Orthoclase (KAlSi3O8), Albite (NaAlSi3O8) and Anorthite (CaAl2Si2O8). Chemically, the feldspars are
Feldspar is a blanket term for a very large group of minerals which are extremely abundant on Earth. Around 60% of the Earth’s crust is made up of feldspar, in fact, and these minerals have numerous uses for humans, ranging from scouring solutions to glassware. Chances are that you are probably looking at something which contains feldspar right now, although you may not be aware of this, since these minerals are so ubiquitous in the industrial world. Globally, the major sources of commercial feldspar are Italy, Turkey, China, and Thailand. The distinguishing feature of minerals in the feldspar group is that they are comprised of silicates of aluminum blended with other metals like potassium, calcium, sodium, and sometimes barium. The composition of an individual piece of feldspar determines its chemical properties and what color it will be, but it shares similarities with other feldspars, like a crystalline structure. Before feldspar can be used in an industrial process, it must be pro
