moonstone

moonstone
/moohn"stohn'/, n.
1. Also called precious moonstone. a semitransparent or translucent, opalescent, pearly-blue variety of adularia, used as a gem.
2. any of several adularescent feldspars, as certain varieties of albite, labradorite, or oligoclase, used as gems.
3. (not used technically) any milky or girasol stone used as a gem.
[1625-35; MOON + STONE]

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      gem-quality feldspar mineral, a mixed sodium and potassium aluminosilicate, (K,Na)AlSi3O8, that shows a silvery or bluish iridescence. Nearly all commercial moonstones come from Dumbara District, Sri Lanka, where they occur in gem gravels and in acid granulites and pegmatites.

      The term moonstone also has been applied to the plagioclase feldspars peristerite and labradorite, which also exhibit iridescence.

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Universalium. 2010.

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