Cleavelandite is a distinctive lamellar or platy variety of albite feldspar often found in pegmatite pockets. It is prized by collectors primarily as a matrix material that beautifully frames crystals of tourmaline, lepidolite, and other rare accessory minerals.
Is this cleavelandite?
5-step field checkRun through these checks against the specimen in your hand. The more boxes tick, the more confident the ID.
- 1Test the hardnessTry to scratch cleavelandite with a known reference. Cleavelandite sits at Mohs 6, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Cleavelandite leaves a white streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Cleavelandite typically shows a pearly luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: white, colorless, pale blue, gray.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: triclinic. Typical habit: platy aggregates.
Often confused with
Cleavelandite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Cleavelandite is noticeably harder (Mohs 6 vs. 3-3.5); luster reads pearly on Cleavelandite and vitreous on Baryte.
How to tell apart: Cleavelandite is noticeably harder (Mohs 6 vs. 3.5-4); luster reads pearly on Cleavelandite and vitreous on Stilbite.
Often found alongside cleavelandite
Minerals reported to co-occur with cleavelandite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- NaAlSi₃O₈
- Mohs hardness
- 6
- Density
- 2.62 g/cm³
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Pearly
- Transparency
- Translucent
- Crystal system
- Triclinic
- Crystal habit
- Platy Aggregates
- Cleavage
- Perfect
- Rarity
- Common
- Uses
- Collector, Lapidary
- Host rock
- Granite Pegmatites
- Typical price
- $10-100 per specimen
Where rockhounds find cleavelandite
1 mapped spotsClassic worldwide localities
- Himalaya Mine (USA)
- Paprok (Afghanistan)
- Minas Gerais (Brazil)
- Shigar Valley (Pakistan)
Field-hunting tip
Look in granite pegmatites country, the host setting where cleavelandite typically forms. If you start seeing tourmaline, lepidolite, quartz in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a platy aggregates habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop. In the U.S., the densest reported localities are in Virginia. Start trip planning there.
Common questions
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Find cleavelandite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
