A rare mineral variety, an orthoclase feldspar with distinctive optical properties and crystalline structure found in certain igneous rocks.
From Greek 'eu' (well) + 'chlos' (green) + '-lite' (stone), though the color etymology is disputed. The name was applied by 19th-century mineralogists to describe this feldspar variant based on its occurrence in specific geological formations.
Eucolite demonstrates how mineralogists sometimes name minerals after subtle optical properties or geological context rather than obvious color—it's a reminder that the periodic table of minerals is still being refined as technology lets us see crystal structures we never could before.
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