The facts
What linarite actually is
Linarite is classified as linarite, with the composition PbCu(SO₄)(OH)₂. It crystallises in the monoclinic system.
Colour comes from cu²⁺ in a lead sulphate, giving an unusually deep and saturated azure blue, which is also what a laboratory looks at when it is asked whether a colour is natural.
Refractive index 1.809–1.859. Specific gravity around 5.30–5.35. Cleavage: perfect {100}, imperfect {001}. Those three numbers separate it from most of what imitates it.
Where linarite comes from
Linarite is produced at Grand Reef Mine, Graham County, Arizona, USA, Red Gill Mine, Caldbeck Fells, Cumbria, England, Linares, Jaén, Spain (type locality) and Tsumeb, Namibia.
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 linarite is treated
Untreated. Easily confused with azurite in the field; linarite does not effervesce in dilute acid whereas azurite does. Very soft and heavy, strictly a micromount-to-cabinet species.
Treatment changes value, sometimes by a multiple, so it belongs in the description before the price and not after the sale.
What linarite is confused with
In the trade linarite is most often mistaken for, or substituted by, Azurite, Caledonite, Chalcanthite or Cyanotrichite.
The separation is rarely a matter of opinion: refractive index 1.809–1.859 and specific gravity 5.30–5.35 settle most of it in a minute, and magnification settles the rest.
What linarite is used for
Demand for linarite 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
Linarite is 2.5 on the Mohs scale, with perfect {100}, imperfect {001} cleavage.
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 linarite costs
As a guide, linarite trades around Specimens $50–$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 linarite treated, and how?
Untreated. Easily confused with azurite in the field; linarite does not effervesce in dilute acid whereas azurite does. Very soft and heavy, strictly a micromount-to-cabinet species.
Where does linarite come from?
Grand Reef Mine, Graham County, Arizona, USA, Red Gill Mine, Caldbeck Fells, Cumbria, England, Linares, Jaén, Spain (type locality) and Tsumeb, Namibia. Origin affects price, so we name the locality rather than the country on every quote.
Is linarite 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 linarite cost?
Indicatively Specimens $50–$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 linarite confused with?
Most often Azurite, Caledonite, Chalcanthite and Cyanotrichite. A refractive index of 1.809–1.859 and a specific gravity near 5.30–5.35 separate it quickly.
Related stones
Looking for linarite?
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 linarite