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 — that is 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.
