Home > Lead Minerals – December 31 > MS1164 Caledonite

Caledonite - Sold


Caledonite is a hydrated lead copper sulfate mineral. While known since 1820, Beudant (1832) gave the mineral its current name after Caledonia, Latin for Scotland, source of the original material. Caledonite has a vibrant sea foam blue color; its defining characteristic. This example features a breccia fragment covered on its surfaces with crystalline white leadhillite overlain by blue caledonite. The caledonite crystals are flat-lying, lustrous, and reach 2 mm. Caledonite appears on two sides of this specimen, and fortunately the larger surface is the richest. Also, the specimen sits with the bright blue surface at a pleasant inclination, so additional display stand is unnecessary. A beautiful sparkling example! Formerly in the Josie Scripps mineral collection.