A superb miniature specimen dominated by a group of translucent, pastel creamy lemon Leadhillite crystals measuring to 2 cm in a parallel-stacked platy habit, set end-on in a characteristic crystalline Cerussite matrix. This magnificent miniature is from its type locality at Leadhills in Lanarkshire, Scotland. Many mines surround the small village of Leadhills so, more often than not, the exact mine name went unrecorded. Leadhillite, a lead sulphate carbonate hydroxide, is a highly prized species, especially so from the Leadhills-Wanlockhead mining district. The Leadhillite crystals form platy hexagonal prisms, each of about 2 mm thick, with a greasy to pearly lustre, often displaying interference colours within their surface structure in shades of iridescent peacock pinks, blues and yellows. On the back are well-formed greenish-blue micro-crystals of Caledonite, again from its type locality. Under LWUV the Leadhillite fluoresces a reasonably bright patchy lemon yellow with pale orange tinted terminations. This classic specimen is accompanied by two labels: one an old hand written French label (no provenance but clearly very old) plus a Lindsay Greenbank Minerals from Scotland label, (G.31/JB7); JB indicating Lindsay had acquired this from the former J. Behier Collection. If you’ve been searching for a great Leadhills’ Leadhillite, then this could well satisfy your needs.
