microcline
[ mahy-kruh-klahyn ]
/ ˈmaɪ krəˌklaɪn /
noun
a mineral of the feldspar group, potassium aluminum silicate, KAlSi3O8, identical in composition with orthoclase but having triclinic instead of monoclinic crystals, used in making porcelain.
Words nearby microcline
Example sentences from the Web for microcline
At Danbury the mineral occurs with microcline and oligoclase embedded in dolomite.
The felspar of the granulites is mostly orthoclase or cryptoperthite; microcline, oligoclase and albite are also common.
Orthoclase and microcline feldspar are used in the manufacture of porcelain and chinaware.
Geology |William J. Miller
British Dictionary definitions for microcline
microcline
/ (ˈmaɪkrəʊˌklaɪn) /
noun
a white, creamy yellow, red, or green mineral of the feldspar group, found in igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks: used in the manufacture of glass and ceramics. Composition: potassium aluminium silicate. Formula: KAlSi 3 O 8 . Crystal structure: triclinic
Word Origin for microcline
C19: from German
Mikroklin, from
mikro-
micro- + Greek
klinein to lean; so called because its cleavage plane is slightly different from 90°
Scientific definitions for microcline
microcline
[ mī′krō-klīn′ ]
A white, pink, red-brown, or green type of potassium feldspar. It is dimorphous with orthoclase feldspar, differing from it in shape and in the fact that it forms at lower temperatures.Chemical formula: KAlSi3O8.