Orthoclase
Adriana Gonzalez 2/15/14
Other names
This gem is also called Potassium Feldspar.
Chemical Formula
KAlSi3O8
Description
This gem comes in white, yellow, colorless, pink, orange, light blue, light green, brown, and gray. Orthoclase is industrially important in the manufacture of glass and ceramics. Orthoclase is one of the most common minerals, and is found worldwide. In the U.S., enormous crystals were found on Sandia Mountain, Bernalillo Co, New Mexico. It has been treated from its natural state to be able to make the glasses.