Cordierite and Orthoclase Physical Properties
Tenacity
Brittle
Not Available
Solubility
Not Available
Not Available
Durability
Not Available
Not Available
Specific Gravity
2.57-2.66
2.54-2.61
Fracture
Subconchoidal, Conchoidal, Brittle
Gems, Uneven
Cleavage
Fair on {100}, poor on {001} and {010}
Has perfect cleavage on {001} and good cleavage on {010}. Cleavages intersect at 90°.
Chemical Composition
Mg2Al4Si5O18
KAlSi 3O 8Michael OâDonoghue , Gems, Sixth Edition (2006) More from other references
Cordierite and Orthoclase Chemical Formula
While comparing Cordierite and Orthoclase physical properties, the important data you should know is its chemical composition. Since chemical formula defines the molecular structure of the crystal, most of the physical properties like color, tenacity, solubility are governed by Cordierite and Orthoclase chemical formula.
- Chemical formula of Cordierite- Mg2Al4Si5O18
- Chemical formula of Orthoclase- KAlSi 3O 8Michael OâDonoghue , Gems, Sixth Edition (2006) More from other references
Cordierite and Orthoclase Specific Gravity
Another important criteria for qualitative analysis of gemstones is Cordierite and Orthoclase Specific gravity. Specific gravity is the relative density of a gemstone compared with respect to density of water. Gemologists use Cordierite and Orthoclase Optical Properties during the identification of gemstone. Specific gravity of Cordierite is 2.54-2.61 whereas that of Orthoclase is 2.54-2.61.