Characteristics of Orthoclase:

Chemical Name: Potassium aluminosilicate

Formula: KAlSi3O8

Colors: Colorless, white, cream, yellow, pink, brown-red

Structure: Monoclinic

Hardness: 6.0-6.5

Specific Gravity: 2.5-2.6

Refractive Index: 1.51-1.53

Lustre: Vitreous

Streak: White

Locations: Myanmar, Sri Lanka, India, Brazil, Tanzania, USA, Mexico

What is  Orthoclase？ 

The pink crystals of Orthoclase give common granite its characteristic pink color. It is also an important rock-forming mineral that yields gemstones. Yellow and colorless Orthoclase is faceted for collectors when transparent, and it sometimes produce gems called sunstone. A cat’s-eye effect results when some yellow and white specimens are cut en cabochon. A variety of Orthoclase exhibiting adularescence is called moonstone. This adularescence results from the interlayering of Orthoclase with albite.