| Adularia:
Tectosilicates
(Potassium aluminum silicate) KAlSi3O8 AKA: Moonstone, Orthoclase, Potash feldspar |
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System: Monoclinic; predominantly as single crystals of rectangular or square cross section and as tabular crystals. Appearance: Transparent or opalescent; vitreous; streak white. Physical properties: Hardness: (6.0 - 6.5), Specific gravity: (2.5 - 2.6), Cleavage: Good in two directions at 90 degrees; fracture, uneven; transparent to translucent. Similar species: Similar silicate minerals lack the right-angle cleavage. Occurrence: These minerals are very widespread in their distribution in North America. Adularia is found usually in volcanic rocks. White adularia crystals up to 2.5 cm (1") across have been found in gold-bearing quartz veins in California. Miscellaneous: Adularia is named for a locality in the Adula Mountains, Switzerland. Adularia (moonstone) is the birthstone for June. Conventional Wisdom: Adularia can be used to enhance devotion to a cause, purpose or person. The energies of the mineral increase ones ability to see the positive attributes in all. It can also be used to stimulate the opening of the heart and crown chakras and to provide clarity of the mental processes and an openness to love. It can also be used in the treatment of the parasympathetic nervous system to stabilize and calm, for example, the heart and mind. It has been used to treat snow-blindness. Belongs to the Astrological Sign of Cancer. |