• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.233-243
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• 2003

Microstructures and chemistry of anorthoclase, a high-temperature phase of alkali feldspars, were studied using EPMA and TEM. BSE images of anorthoclase displayed mixtures of Na-rich areas and K-rich areas forming lamella of various sizes. EPMA analysis indicated that the Na-rich area is composed of Ab: 81%, Or: 3% and An: 11% in average, while the K-rich area is composed of Ab: 45%, Or: 44% and An: 11 % in average. TEM analysis revealed albite with Albite twins in the Na-rich area, contrasting to mixtures of albite with fine Albite twins and orthoclase without twins, forming regular lamella of about 100 nm sizes, in the K-rich area. The [001] electron diffraction pattern of the K-rich area also indicated coexistence of the two phases. While streaking parallel to the (010)$^{*}$ direction appeared only in albite due to the twin structure, streaking parallel to the $(100)^{ *}$ direction appeared both in albite and orthoclase, probably due to strain on the interface as well as order-disorder phenomena of Al and Si. It is suggested that the reverse orientation of albite and orthoclase is caused by pole switching to reduce strain on their interfaces. Based on these observations and analyses, the mineral studied is identified as lower-temperature cryptoperthite rather than high-temperature anorthoclase, which has a midium degree of Al-Si ordering and $400^{\circ}C$∼$600^{\circ}C$ of estimated temperatures for the microstructure formation.