Knowra Labradorite Labradorite Labradorite is a plagioclase feldspar mineral known for labradorescence, an iridescent display produced when light interacts with internal layers and lamellae.
Labradorescence : An iridescent optical effect in labradorite and related feldspars, produced by light scattering from internal structures. This named optical effect is the defining visible feature of labradorite.
Feldspar : A group of rock-forming aluminosilicate minerals containing potassium, sodium, or calcium. Labradorite belongs to the largest group of minerals in Earth’s crust.
Gemstone : A mineral, rock, or organic material cut or polished for use in jewelry or ornament. Labradorite is valued as a decorative gemstone when its color display is visible.
Labrador : A geographic region in eastern Canada, forming the mainland portion of the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. The mineral was named after Labrador, where it was first described in Europe.
Nain, Newfoundland and Labrador : A coastal community in northern Labrador, Canada, near important occurrences of labradorite. Nain is associated with the mineral’s classic Labrador occurrence and early accounts.
Lamellar twinning : A crystal structure in which repeated thin layers of one orientation alternate with layers of another. Fine internal lamellae help scatter light into labradorite’s characteristic colors.
Albite : A sodium-rich plagioclase feldspar with the ideal composition NaAlSi₃O₈. Albite is the sodium-rich end member of the series that includes labradorite.
Cabochon : A gemstone cut with a polished convex surface and no facets. A smooth domed cut shows labradorescence across a broad surface.
Moravian missions in Labrador : Christian missionary settlements established by the Moravian Church along the Labrador coast beginning in the eighteenth century. Accounts of labradorite’s European introduction are associated with Moravian missionaries returning from Labrador.
Ylämaa : A locality in southeastern Finland known for deposits of colorful labradorite called spectrolite. Ylämaa’s material displays the broad color range that made spectrolite famous.
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