The Orientation of the Pericline Twin Lamellae in Triclinic Alkali Felspars

Wm. Scott MacKenzie
Geophysical Laboratory, Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington, D.C., U.S.A.

Summary: Cross-hatched twinning is characteristic of two alkali-felspar species, microclines and anorthoclases. Because of the difference in the crystallographic angles of these two species, the cross-hatched twinning is most clearly seen in (001) sections of microcline and in sections perpendicular to the a crystallographic axis in anorthoclases. If pericline twinning is present it is generally seen in (010) sections of microclines, but if the microcline is microperthitic the twin lamellae may not be seen. Strings or lamellae of perthitic albite can be distinguished from pericline twin lamellae by refractive index differences and also by the angle that their trace makes with the trace of (001) in (010) sections.

Mineralogical Magazine; March 1956 v. 31; no. 232; p. 41-46; DOI: 10.1180/minmag.1956.031.232.04
© 1956, The Mineralogical Society
Mineralogical Society (www.minersoc.org)