noun
- A hard, glassy mineral composed of sodium aluminum silicate, found in igneous rocks and used in ceramics and glass manufacturing.
Usage: technical; mineralogy
Examples
- Nepheline is a common constituent of alkaline igneous rocks.
- The geologist identified nepheline crystals in the basalt sample.
- Nepheline syenite is an important ore used in the production of ceramics.
- Industrial applications of nepheline include its use as a flux in glass manufacturing.
- The presence of nepheline in the rock indicated a low-silica magmatic origin.