The number of use cases for feldspars are as diverse as the material itself - from glassmaking to ceramics to fillers. Most of the names are trade names, with the exceptions of lepidolite, petalite, and spodumene, which are true mineral names. Substitutes and Alternative Sources. In glassmaking, alumina from feldspar improves product hardness, sturdiness, and resistance to chemical corrosion. Feldspar is a common uncooked fabric utilized in glassmaking, ceramics, and to a point as a filler and extender in paint, plastics, and rubber. Microcline is the stable form below about 400 C. Orthoclase and sanidine are stable above 500 C and 900 C, respectively. The term feldspar is used to identify a very large group of minerals. In fact, it is used to describe any mineral which consists of framework aluminum, oxygen and silicon atoms plus an additive. The feldspar group has nearly 20 recognized members, but only nine of those are common. Like potassium feldspar, plagioclases has a Mohs Hardness rating that falls between a 6 and 6.5. Feldspar Industrial Applications & Uses : Ceramics Industry Feldspar is used as fluxing agent in all kinds of ceramics & glazes. Potassium feldspar comes in three different crystal structures that depend on the temperature it formed at. Feldspar is used to make dinnerware and bathroom and building tiles. A flux is a material that lowers the melting temperature of another material, in this case, glass. Unlike potassium feldspar, plagioclases doesn’t have a glass-like sheen, but rather it is known for its high refractivity which is comparability to that of Beryl and Quartz. This mineral is often called potassium feldspar or K-feldspar because potassium always exceeds sodium in its formula. In ceramics and glass production, feldspar is used as a flux. All minerals in this grouping have the same crystalline structure. Plagioclases is a variety of feldspar that is rich in calcium and sodium. 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