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Nepheline [abbr. Nph ]

Year of discovery: 1800 (Monte Somma, Italy), 1899 (Japan)

Locality list: 11 localities of nepheline

• NaAlSiO₄
• (Na,K)AlSiO₄
• [Na⁺][AlSiO₄]^-

• Class: Nepheline group
• Class: Tecto-Aluminosilicate
• Soluble in: HCl (Gel residue)
• Radioactive: Very weak

• Na => K: Kalsilite, Trikalsilite, Panunzite, Kaliophilite, Megakalsilite

• Color: White, Gray, Pale yellow
• Streak: White
• Luster: Vitreous
• Diaphaneity: Transparent-Opaque

• Habit: Hexagonal prism

• Cleavage: Poor on {1010} and {0001} (4 planes)
• Hardness: 5.5-6
• Density: 2.6

• System: Hexagonal
• Group: 6, P6₃
• Lattice: a=10.0, c=8.4

Etymology: Nephele (Cloud) in Greek