Albite occurs with 4–18 wt.% in the Magnus sandstones and its contents vary with depth. However, albite contents increase with increasing K-feldspar contents and decreasing grain size. It occurs in three forms: (1) as lamellae in perthite, (2) as overgrowth on/in corroded feldspar, and, (3) as cloudy replacing albite patches in K-feldspar. The albite overgrowth has the highest chemical purity (100% albite) whilst albite lamellae and replacing albite patches are slightly less pure (containing 1–4% anorthite). Albite appears non-altered, and has a euhedral morphology and dull cathodoluminescence. It commonly co-occurs with corroded K-feldspar grains.
The precipitation of diagenetic albite in the Magnus sandstones is attributed to deep burial 80 Ma ago and may have continued until today at temperatures between 90–120 °C. The results of hydrogeochemical modelling offer two possible pathways for the authigenic albite formation: (1) Dissolution of unstable minerals (such as kaolinite and chalcedony) coupled to reduction of ferric iron minerals by products generated during oil generation, migration and degradation; (2) Dissolution of non-end member feldspar, such as K-feldspar with 10% albite, coupled to illite formation can account for trace amounts of albite due to an elevated Na+/K+ activity ratio in the pore water.