Anglesite Crystal

Anglesite is a mineral made of lead sulfate (PbSO₄) that forms when galena, a lead sulfide ore, oxidizes. It’s often found in the upper layers of lead deposits and can range from colorless to white, though it sometimes picks up a gray or black tint from galena impurities. The crystals are usually tabular—flat and broad—with striated faces and pointed ends, but it can also show up as crusty, nodular, or even stalactitic masses. Some specimens, especially big ones, reveal cool gray and black banding when cut or polished.

Anglesite From: Touissit, Oujda-Angad Prov., Oriental Region, Morocco. Photo Copyright © DI Anton Watzl

It was first noted in 1783 by William Withering at the Parys copper mine on Anglesey, an island off Wales—that’s where the name comes from, later made official by François Sulpice Beudant in 1832. Collectors love it for its sharp, shiny crystals, especially from places like Touissit, Morocco, or Tsumeb, Namibia. It’s got a sparkle that can rival diamond, but it’s too soft and has lead in it, so it’s no good for jewelry. Mostly, it’s either a minor lead ore, a display piece, or occasionally cut as a gem for enthusiasts.