1. by-nc-nd: xrichx felsic igneous rocks metamorphic rocks pegmatites by-nc-sa: Ron Schott by-nc-sa: Molas Potassium Feldspar USGS

2. Glassy sanidine crystals exhibit a distinctive bluish iridescence and are commonly known as moonstones. Amazonstone is a variety of microcline that has a distinctive bright green color. Perthite is any gemstone feldspar variety that consists of thin alternating bands of potassium feldspar and plagioclase that gives the mineral sample a distinctive striped pattern. by-nc: meganpru www.minerals.si.edu Amazonite, Microcline Photo by Chip Clark Over half the Earth’s crust is composed of a single group of minerals known as the feldspars. NASA

3. Potassium feldspar minerals are in granite. by-nc: xjyxjy by-nc-sa: James_C by-nc-nd: hitkaiser by-nc-nd: Maitri by-nc-sa: Monceau by-nc: Cowtools

4. Potassium feldspar minerals are in building stones. by-nd: TheeErin by-nc-sa: mharrsch by-nc-sa: rowlock by-nc-nd: anthony_m

5. Ground-up feldspar is mixed with clay and quartz, and then fired to form a wide range of ceramic and porcelain products: from fine pottery and dinnerware, to sinks, bathtubs, electrical insulators, and floor tiles. by-sa: Ebua Libana by-nc: birdfarm by-nc-sa: amortize by-nc: bombelek

6. Feldspars are used in the manufacture of glass and scouring powder. by-nd: savinca by-nc-sa: dachalan by-nc-nd: gsgeorge by-sa: afiler

7. by-nc-nd: Greenery by-nc-nd: Jamber by-nc-nd: Henryr10 Feldspars are in tarred roofing materials, as well as in glass wool insulation materials.

8. by-nc: Simon Pearson by-nc-nd: telsky by-sa: tillwe by-nc-nd: Toloty_Tutunai Feldspars are used as sizing or filler in textiles and paper.

9. by-sa: blmurch / Beatrice Murch by-nc-nd: *n*o*o*r* by-nc-nd: rosefirerising by-nc-sa: eshm by-nc-nd: jimmywayne22 Feldspars are used in the manufacture of enamel.

10. As feldspar minerals weather into smaller pieces, they form sand, clay, and mud. Once those sediments harden, they become sandstones and shales. by: fatal Cleopatra by-nc-nd: Jason Abbott by-nc-nd: Ryan Thomas

11. Water will react with feldspars to produce a host of clay minerals. In dry climates mud is used to form the walls of houses by-nc-nd: Urban Penguin by-sa: Mike Pedroncelli

12. by-nc-sa: suttonhoo by-nc: qu1j0t3 by-nc-sa: asphaltbuffet by-nd: geneome Feldspars weather to clays that are used to make ceramics.

13. by-nc-sa: GeoWombats by-nc-nd: cake + pie creative by-nc-nd: Magnus3D by-nc-nd: Sidereal Feldspar minerals are also important in glazes

14. As feldspars breakdown under the intense weathering conditions of tropical climates, almost all of the feldspar is dissolved away except for some hydrous aluminum oxide minerals that are left behind. These concentrated deposits of aluminum ores are collectively called bauxite and are our major source of aluminum. by-nd: rebeckymrg by-nc-sa: Ariz by-nc: guillaumee

15. As feldspars weather they produce aluminum ores by-nc-nd: Jonnny by-nc-nd: MrCuac by-nd: Armchair Aviator by-nc-sa: Davezilla was taken by: new1mproved by-sa: Velo Steve

16. Feldspars are often in concrete and asphalt as aggregate. by-nc-nd: Orbital Joe by-nc-sa: portfolium by-sa: crouchingbadger by-nc-sa: PPDIGITAL

17. by-nc-nd: xrichx felsic igneous rocks metamorphic rocks pegmatites by-nc-sa: Ron Schott by-nc-sa: Molas Potassium Feldspar USGS

18. media rights Many of the photos in this presentation were obtained through Flickr and Wikipedia.FlickrWikipedia Funded by FIPSE and by the University of Minnesota. Compiled for Dr. Kent Kirkby, Department of Geology and Geophysics, by Kate Rosok, 2007. Each displayed image retains its original media rights. For educational purposes only; not to be used commercially.FIPSEUniversity of MinnesotaDr. Kent Kirkby Department of Geology and Geophysics public domain (none) © Copyright. All rights reserved by-nc-sa by by-nd by-sa by-nc-nd Creative Commons Licenses GNUGNU GNU Free Documentation LicenseGNU Free Documentation License Our notation description