It is because of the carbonate ion that it will effervescence in warm hydrochloric acid. The effervescence is diagnostic as almost no other silicates will do this, although it is common in the carbonates . Although feldspathoids are known to both extrusive and intrusive igneous rocks, cancrinite is found almost exclusively in intrusive or plutonic rocks. This may be due to the tremendous pressures required to force the large carbonate ions into the structure of cancrinite. Feldspathoids are similar to zeolites in that their wide open structures allow large ions to be incorporated into them.
Color is yellow, orange, pink, white or blue.
Luster is vitreous or pearly. Crystals are translucent to more rarely transparent. Some prismatic to columnar crystals are found. Cleavage is perfect, in three directions, prismatic, but rarely seen in massive specimens. Fracture is conchoidal to uneven.