f-e-l-d-s-p-a-r
FELDSPAR Earth's most abundant mineral group; aluminum silicates forming 60% of the planet's crust; source of clay, ceramics, and gemstones. Delivers 14 base points in word games.
14
Points in Scrabble
Base tile values • No multipliers applied
Feldspar literally builds continents. This humble mineral group—not gold, diamonds, or rare earths—forms the foundation of our planetary crust. From granite monuments to porcelain teacups, from moonstone jewelry to glass windows, feldspar touches daily life invisibly yet essentially. Its crystals weather into clay that nourishes crops, forms pottery, and builds civilizations. Without feldspar's patient dissolution over geological time, Earth would lack soil, and terrestrial life couldn't exist.
The feldspar family showcases nature's crystalline diversity. Orthoclase and microcline contain potassium; albite holds sodium; anorthite carries calcium. These variations create spectacular gems: moonstone's adularescence, sunstone's aventurescence, labradorite's iridescent flash. Ancient civilizations prized these feldspars without understanding their chemistry. Vikings navigated using feldspar's optical properties; Chinese potters achieved porcelain's translucence through feldspar flux. Modern industries depend on feldspar for ceramics, glass, fillers, and glazes—civilization's unsung mineral hero.
Geologically, feldspar tells Earth's story. Its presence reveals magma chemistry, cooling rates, and tectonic history. Feldspar weathering drives the rock cycle, creating sediments that become new rocks. The white beaches of tropical islands? Feldspar sand. The pink granite of mountain ranges? Feldspar crystals. Clay deposits feeding pottery traditions worldwide? Weathered feldspar. This mineral group connects igneous origins to sedimentary destinations, linking fire-forged crystals to life-sustaining soils through time's patient alchemy.
In Scrabble competition, FELDSPAR represents geological vocabulary's strategic value. The 8-letter structure enables 50-point bingos, while the F (4 points) and P (3 points) boost base scoring. Building from SPAR, FELD, or PAR maximizes placement flexibility. Scientific terminology like FELDSPAR rewards players who study beyond everyday vocabulary. The word's specificity reduces challenge disputes—everyone recognizes this fundamental mineral. Competitive players mine geological terms systematically, knowing Earth sciences offer rich verbal deposits.
FELDSPAR combines German "Feld" (field) with "Spat" (a rock that cleaves into flat surfaces), literally "field spar." Swedish miners coined "fältspat" in the 1700s for minerals found in fields overlying ore deposits. The German adoption "Feldspat" entered English geology in 1757. The "spar" element traces to Old English "spærstān" (gypsum), referring to crystalline, easily cleaved minerals. This practical naming—minerals found in fields that split cleanly—reflects geology's roots in mining and agriculture rather than academic abstraction.
•Feldspar makes up 60% of Earth's crust but 0% of most people's mineral awareness
•Amazon river carries 1 billion tons of weathered feldspar annually—future soil for distant lands
•Moon rocks returned by Apollo contained the same feldspars as Earth—evidence of common origin
"The archaeologist identified the pottery's origin by its feldspar temper—each region's clay tells its own story."
"Billion-year-old feldspar crystals in this granite witnessed Earth's entire evolution," the geologist marveled."
Other 8-letter geological terms offering strong scoring:
Total base points: 14 (Scrabble)
Vowels: 2 (E, A) | Consonants: 6 (F, L, D, S, P, R)
Practice unscrambling letters to find more high-scoring words like FELDSPAR