The facts
What leadhillite actually is
Leadhillite is classified as leadhillite, with the composition Pb₄(SO₄)(CO₃)₂(OH)₂. It crystallises in the monoclinic system.
Colour comes from colourless to pale yellow, green or blue-grey; pearly on the perfect cleavage, which is also what a laboratory looks at when it is asked whether a colour is natural.
Refractive index 1.87–2.00. Specific gravity around 6.4–6.6. Cleavage: perfect basal {001}. Those three numbers separate it from most of what imitates it.
Where leadhillite comes from
Leadhillite is produced at Leadhills, Lanarkshire, Scotland (type locality), Tsumeb, Namibia, Mammoth-St Anthony Mine, Tiger, Arizona, USA and Touissit, Morocco.
The locality is part of the description, not a footnote — two stones of the same weight from two of these places are not the same stone.
How leadhillite is treated
Untreated. Pseudohexagonal plates with a bright pearly cleavage; extremely soft and lead-bearing, and specimens degrade if exposed to acidic vapours in storage cabinets.
Treatment changes value, sometimes by a multiple, so it belongs in the description before the price and not after the sale.
What leadhillite is confused with
In the trade leadhillite is most often mistaken for, or substituted by, Cerussite, Anglesite, Caledonite or Barite.
The separation is rarely a matter of opinion: refractive index 1.87–2.00 and specific gravity 6.4–6.6 settle most of it in a minute, and magnification settles the rest.
What leadhillite is used for
Demand for leadhillite comes from mineral collecting, which is why one price per carat never covers it.
We quote each application in the unit that trade actually buys in, by the specimen.
Durability and care
Hardness 2.5; cleavage perfect basal {001}. That combination decides what it can safely be set into.
Below about 5.5 a stone will be scratched by ordinary household dust, which is largely quartz. That does not make it unusable — it makes it a pendant, an earring or an object rather than a ring worn every day.
Warm water, mild soap and a soft brush. Avoid ultrasonic cleaners on anything fracture-filled, stabilised, dyed or visibly included.
What leadhillite costs
As a guide, leadhillite trades around Specimens $60–$3,000.
That is a range, not a quote. Colour, size, clarity, cut and origin move the figure a long way inside it, and the only honest price is one given against a specific stone. Send us what you need and we will price it.
Questions
Is leadhillite treated, and how?
Untreated. Pseudohexagonal plates with a bright pearly cleavage; extremely soft and lead-bearing, and specimens degrade if exposed to acidic vapours in storage cabinets.
Where does leadhillite come from?
Leadhills, Lanarkshire, Scotland (type locality), Tsumeb, Namibia, Mammoth-St Anthony Mine, Tiger, Arizona, USA and Touissit, Morocco. Origin affects price, so we name the locality rather than the country on every quote.
Is leadhillite hard enough to wear every day?
Not really. At 2.5 on the Mohs scale it is softer than the quartz dust in ordinary household dirt, so it scratches with wear. It suits pendants, earrings and objects better than a daily ring.
How much does leadhillite cost?
Indicatively Specimens $60–$3,000. Colour, size, clarity and origin move the price a long way within that, so treat it as a range and ask for a quote against a specific stone.
What is leadhillite confused with?
Most often Cerussite, Anglesite, Caledonite and Barite. A refractive index of 1.87–2.00 and a specific gravity near 6.4–6.6 separate it quickly.
Related stones
Looking for leadhillite?
Tell us the size, the quality and what it is for. We source it, photograph it and quote it — with the locality named.
Ask about leadhillite