Anglesite Value, Price, and Jewelry Information
Although anglesites with pale colors can show great dispersion and brightness, they’re difficult to cut and inadvisable to wear. Faceted pieces are true rarities, seldom seen except in very complete gem collections.
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Although anglesites with pale colors can show great dispersion and brightness, they’re difficult to cut and inadvisable to wear. Faceted pieces are true rarities, seldom seen except in very complete gem collections.
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Comments
Anglesite's fire or dispersion equals that of diamond (0.044). If properly faceted, this gem can also show magnificent brilliance. However, due to its hardness of 2.5 to 3 and good cleavage, cutting requires great care.
Where anglesite occurs massively, it serves as a lead ore.
Identifying Characteristics
Anglesite's specific gravity (SG) of 6.30 to 6.39 places it among the densest gem materials. Testing for SG can usually distinguish it from gems of similar appearance. However, two other rarely faceted collector's gemstones have a comparable range of colors, hardness, and SG. Like anglesite, cerussite and phosgenite can be colorless as well as white, grayish, yellowish, or greenish. Their fluorescence under ultraviolet light (UV) can also appear yellowish.
Comparison of Selected Physical and Optical Properties of Anglesite, Cerussite, and Phosgenite
| Hardness | SG | Fluorescence in UV | Refractive Index | Optic Character | |
| Anglesite | 2.5-3 | 6.30-6.39 | Weak yellowish. | a = 1.877; b = 1.883; γ = 1.894 | Biaxial (+) |
| Cerussite | 3-3.5 | 6.55 | Can be yellow in LW. Pale blue/green in SW. | a = 1.804; b = 2.076; γ = 2.079 | Biaxial (-) |
| Phosgenite | 2-3 | 6.13 | Strong yellowish. | o = 2.114-2.118; e = 2.140-2.145 | Uniaxial (+) |
A refractive index and an optic character reading with a refractometer and/or polariscope may be the most effective way to distinguish these gems. However, keep in mind that phosgenite may be anomalously biaxial. Some greenish phosgenites may show weak pleochroism, while anglesite has none.
Synthetics
Laboratories have synthesized anglesite crystals for geological research. However, there is no known use of this material for jewelry purposes.
Enhancements
In the early 1980s, amber-red anglesites from Touissit, Morocco were found to be the result of bleaching colorless and pale yellow crystal specimens. This treatment produced surface-deep colors. Only immersion in a bromide-water solution could reverse this coloration.
Sources
Although many localities across the globe can potentially yield gemmy crystals, only a few produce colorless and pale brown specimens.
Touissit, Morocco produces gem crystals in immense sizes for this species.
Tsumeb, Namibia produces large transparent yellowish crystals and, sometimes, gemmy colorless specimens.
Other notable gem-quality sources include:
- United States: Arizona; Coeur d'Alene district, Idaho; New Mexico; Chester County, Pennsylvania; Tintic, Utah.
- Broken Hill, N.S.W., Australia; Brazil; Germany; Chihuahua, Mexico; Russia; Sardinia; Slovenia; Dundas, Tasmania; Tunisia; England, Scotland, Wales, United Kingdom.
Stone Sizes
Faceted anglesites typically range from 1 to 6 carats. Very rarely does this material occur large enough to cut anything bigger than this. However, some rough, notably from Namibia and Morocco, has yielded 100+ carat gems. One such stone from Tsumeb, at 300 carats, broke during cutting!
- Devonian Group (Calgary, Alberta, Canada): 88.75 (yellow, coffin-shaped triangle, Tsumeb, Namibia).
- Royal Ontario Museum (Toronto, Ontario, Canada): 23.62 (colorless, step cut, Tsumeb).
- National Museums of Canada (Ottawa, Ontario): 25.90 (yellow, scissors cut, Morocco).
- Private Collections: 126 (light golden brown, Morocco); 73 (yellow-orange, cushion cut, Morocco); 63 (lemon yellow emerald cut, Morocco); 171.12 (medium orange, Morocco); 169 (oval, Morocco).
Care
Anglesites contain lead. When cutting this material, avoid ingesting or inhaling particles and wash your hands.
Jewelry use is not recommended.
Joel E. Arem, Ph.D., FGA
Dr. Joel E. Arem has more than 60 years of experience in the world of gems and minerals. After obtaining his Ph.D. in Mineralogy from Harvard University, he has published numerous books that are still among the most widely used references and guidebooks on crystals, gems and minerals in the world.
Co-founder and President of numerous organizations, Dr. Arem has enjoyed a lifelong career in mineralogy and gemology. He has been a Smithsonian scientist and Curator, a consultant to many well-known companies and institutions, and a prolific author and speaker. Although his main activities have been as a gem cutter and dealer, his focus has always been education.
International Gem Society
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