Physical Properties |
|
| Chemical formula | Al2Si2O5(OH)4 |
| Class | Phyllosilicate |
| Crystal system | Triclinic |
| Habit | Usually massive or fine-grained aggregates Platy, pseudohexagonal (rare) |
| Color | White |
| Hardness | 2 to 2.5 |
| Specific gravity | 2.6 |
| Cleavage/fracture | Perfect (001) but rarely seen |
| Luster | Waxy Pearly Dull Earthy |
| Transparency | Sometimes translucent |
| Streak | White |
Optical Properties |
|
| δ | 0.007 |
| after Perkins 318-319 |
Kaolinite in Hand Sample
Kaolinite
Reddish sillimanite in white kaolinite
Kaolinite in Thin Section
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