LABRADORITE
Specimen lab-23

Dims: 8.4" x 6.5" x 5.0" (21.3 x 16.5 x 12.7 cm)

Wt: 7.5 lbs. (3.4 kg)

Labrador Peninsula, Canada

This specimen consists of a large, amorphous chunk of Labradorite. It shows no evidence of a crystal shape, but has crystalline tendencies, such as visible cleavage planes. It is slightly flattened, and when looking from the correct angle, these two faces each show the beautiful blue, green, and yellow iridescence that is known as Labradorescence. From any other angle, the mineral appears to have a greenish-gray color. Its luster is pearly to waxy, and it is opaque, showing dim translucence around some of its edges. Though there seems to be much internal fracturing, this piece would probably yield some really nice cabochon material. However, since most surfaces show Labradorescence from some angle, and often brightly blue, turquoise, and yellow, this specimen is a great (big) example of Labradorite.

Dims: 8.0" x 6.2" x 3.0" (20.3 x 15.7 x 7.6 cm)

Wt: 3 lbs.,12.8 oz. (1.724 kg)

Labrador Peninsula, Canada

This cabinet-sized specimen consists of a large piece of massive Labradorite that is greenish-gray in color and has a pearly luster. It is rather nondescript and unimpressive until it is held at the correct angle. Then, brilliant blue, green and yellow colors radiate from the stone's surface, a product of light reflecting off of microscopic twinning planes. One could use such a stone as lapidary material, but it cleaves rather easily, so care should be excercised in cutting and polishing.

Dims: 9.2 x 7.3 x 3.1" (23.4 x 18.5 x 7.9 cm)

Wt: 6.3 lbs. (2.8 kg)

Finland

This large specimen consists of a large chunk of the variety of Labradorite that is known as Spectrolite, which is found mostly in Finland and other Scandinavian countries. The piece has a large, flat face cut into it which has been polished to a high sheen so that one can more easily see the characteristic iridescence of this material. The unpolished surfaces are very rough and uneven, as the material is basically made up of heavily warped and compacted "crystals" of Labradorite. One can catch glimpses of color off of some of the smaller faces, but a large flash of coloration from a single large crystal is easily visible on the polished face. As is common for Spectrolite, the material's iridescence shows much more red and yellow coloration than does the material that comes from Labrador, in Canada. This large crystal is not more than 1.5" (4 cm) thick, and its reverse, though not cut or polished, is rather flat. One can see glimpses of iridescence on this reverse side in bright light, if it is viewed at the proper angle.

Dims: 3.8 x 3.1 x 2.8" (9.7 x 7.9 x 7.1 cm)

Wt: 1 lb., 0.7 oz. (473 g)

Madagascar

A formless chunk of Labradorite constitutes this hand specimen. It has the standard gray-brown coloration and shows exceptional iridescence that ranges from blue and green to yellow and orange when viewed at certain angles. However, this applies only to one side of the rock. The other side shows little or no iridescence, and the Labradorite is more finely-grained and interspersed with substantial amounts of what appears to be muscovite. The material has the standard pearly luster and is dimly translucent along some of its thinner edges.

Dims: 3.4 x 2.6 x 2.1" (8.6 x 6.6 x 5.3 cm)

Wt: 12.8 oz. (362 g)

Madagascar

This small hand specimen consists of an amorphous chunk of crystalline Labradorite. The material has a moderate brown coloration and a pearly luster, and shows a beautiful, colorful iridescence when viewed from certain angles. This iridescence ranges in color from orange-yellow to green to blue, and is quite bright in a few areas (see the close-up image). The piece is rather dirty, so a good scrubbing with a brush and soapy water will probably improve its appearance. In its present form, the material is opaque, but would likely show noticeable translucence and maybe even some dim transparence if it were sliced. It certainly would make excellent cutting material for a lapidarist.

Dims: 11.7 x 7.8 x 1.4" (29.7 x 19.8 x 3.6 cm)

Wt: 5.5 lbs. (2.5 kg)

Finland

This decorator specimen consists of a large partly-polished slab of "Spectrolite" a commercial name given to Labradorite that comes from Finland. Though one broad face is polished and two others are ground flat, most of the surfaces are rough and uneven, showing a dull pearly-to-waxy luster. The material is specular in nature and contains tightly packed crystals that are visible through the polished surface. All have a dark gray-black coloration until they are viewed from certain angles. When these angles are reached, they show a beautiful, colorful iridescence. As is expected from Labradorite from this locality, much of the iridescence has a red or yellow coloration that is not common in material from other areas of the world. There is one large crystal in particular wherein the iridescence is particularly visible. If the reverse of the piece were polished, the color would likely be visible there, too. The piece can stand alone on one of its thinner cut faces, but is not very stable.

Dims: 3.6 x 3.2 x 2.0" (9.1 x 8.1 x 5.1 cm)

Wt: 15.7 oz. (445 g)

Madagascar

An amorphous lump of semicrystalline Labradorite makes up this hand specimen. It has the standard moderate gray-brown coloration and pearly-to-waxy luster that is standard for this mineral, and shows a dull but colorful iridescence when viewed from certain angles- this iridescence has mostly a pale blue coloration, but one can see patches of green, yellow, and even pale orange. Veins of a dark brown material extend through the Labradorite "matrix"; these veins have a pearly luster that resembles that of mica, and show distinctive layering, though the material is far too hard and flaky to be biotite.

Dims: 3.9 x 3.8 x 1.9" (9.9 x 9.7 x 4.8 cm)

Wt: 1 lb., 3.3 oz. (548 g)

Malagasy Republic, Madagascar

This moderate hand specimen consists of another rough, amorphous chunk of semicrystalline Labradorite. The material shows some cleavage tendencies, but no definite crystalline form is discernable. It has the standard moderate gray-brown coloration and a rather dull pearly-to-waxy luster. When viewed from certain angles, flashes of colorful iridescence are visible; the most common color is blue, but there is also green, yellow, and even pale orange coloration present. Under bright light or sunlight, the Labradorite shows definite translucence along its corners and edges, but the bulk of it is opaque. There is no host rock present, of course.

Dims: 3.6 x 2.5 x 2.5" (9.1 x 6.4 x 6.4 cm)

Wt: 12.6 oz. (357 g)

Malagasy Republic, Madagascar

This specimen looks basically like an uneven, gray-brown rock that is somewhat scarred. It shows only some crystalline tendencies, but no definite form, and has a luster that ranges from matte to pearly. It is dimly translucent in normal light. It also exhibits the classic colorful iridescence of Labradorite when viewed at the correct angle- being from Madagascar, there is a considerable amount of orange and green coloration that is generally not common in Canadian material. Such material tends to make very good lapidary rough.

Dims: 4.3 x 2.9 x 2.1" (10.9 x 7.4 x 5.3 cm)

Wt: 14.9 oz. (423 g)

Malagasy Republic, Madagascar

Like most of our specimens from this locality, this piece consists of a rough chunk of Labradorite. Its surfaces are scuffed and uneven, and at most, only some crystalline tendencies are visible. It has a moderate gray-brown coloration and a luster that ranges from pearly to waxy. The material is essentially opaque, though a dim translucence is visible around its edges. When viewed at certain angles, one can see the colorful iridescence that is the primary hallmark of this mineral- its color varies across the spectrum, though green, blue and yellow dominate. There is no host rock present, of course.

Dims: 5.6 x 4.6 x 2.6" (14.2 x 11.7 x 6.6 cm)

Wt: 2 lbs., 9.8 oz. (1.185 kg)

Malagasy Republic, Madagascar

This large hand specimen consists of a massive chunk of Labradorite, a member of the feldspar group. It is generally amorphous though it shows crystalline tendencies, so a damage assessment is impossible. Its surfaces are rough and uneven and tend to have a dull pearly to waxy luster. It is generally a gray-brown in color and is only dimly translucent around its edges. When viewed at certain angles, however, one can see the colorful iridescence that is a hallmark of this mineral. This iridescence is primarily blue- and green-colored, though a small area fades to a yellow-orange. As with most specimens of this material, there is no host rock present.

Dims: 5.3 x 5.2 x 2.3" (13.5 x 13.2 x 5.8 cm)

Wt: 2 lbs., 13.5 oz. (1.292 kg)

Malagasy Republic, Madagascar

This large hand specimen consists of another generally amorphous chunk of Labradorite. Though it has no definite crystalline form, it does show crystalline tendencies, such as cleavage faces. The material has a dull gray-brown color, a moderate to dim pearly luster, and is generally opaque, though some of its thinner edges are dimly translucent. When viewed from certain angles, however, a colorful iridescence is visible- the colors range from blue to green, yellow, and orange. As with most such specimens, there is no host rock present.

Dims: 4.9 x 4.6 x 3.1" (12.4 x 11.7 x 7.9 cm)

Wt: 3 lbs., 3.1 oz. (1.449 kg)

Malagasy Republic, Madagascar

This large hand specimen consists of a generally shapeless chunk of Labradorite, a member of the feldspar group. Like most of our other Labradorite specimens, this piece shows some evidence of crystalline structure, but no actual crystal form. It has a gray-brown color and a dull pearly-to-waxy luster, and is essentially opaque. When viewed from certain angles, however, a colorful iridescence is visible- the colors therein tend to gravitate towards blue and green, but yellow and even orange hues are present. There are patches of what appears to be another mineral present, but I do not know what it is. It has a dark brown coloration, an almost micaceous luster, and shows good cleavage in 2 directions.

Dims: 5.9 x 4.4 x 3.1" (15.0 x 11.2 x 7.9 cm)

Wt: 3 lbs., 8.1 oz. (1.591 kg)

Malagasy Republic, Madagascar

One of our largest Labradorite specimens, this one is like most of our others in the fact that it consists of a single, large amorphous chunk of the feldspar. Though it shows some crystalline tendencies, there is no evidence of an actual crystal form. The material has the standard gray-brown coloration and dull pearly-to-waxy luster, and is essentially opaque. The colorful iridescence that is a hallmark of this mineral is visible when the piece is viewed from certain angles. The colors range from blue to green, yellow, and orange. There is a small amount of a mysterious, dark brown mineral present. It has a rather bright pearly luster and shows good cleavage in 2 directions. As with our other specimens also, there is no host rock present.

Dims: 4.6 x 2.7 x 1.2" (11.7 x 6.9 x 3.0 cm)

Wt: 12.5 oz. (353 g)

Malagasy Republic, Madagascar

This misshapen chunk of Labradorite has the standard gray-brown color and pearly luster of its species. Though no definite crystals are evident, it exhibits very strong crystalline tendencies through cleavage. When viewed from certain angles, it shows brilliant, colorful iridescence along one entire side and part of the opposite side. This iridescence ranges in color from blue to green to yellow, and is largely orange in coloration. There is no host rock present.

Dims: 3.2 x 2.6 x 2.4" (8.1 x 6.6 x 6.1 cm)

Wt: 8.88 oz. (251.8 g)

Malagasy Republic, Madagascar

Like most of our Madagascar Labradorite specimens, this piece consists of a shapeless chunk of the material. There is no definite crystal form, but cleavage shows off its tendencies. Its color is a dull gray-brown, but twinning along the cleavage planes produces an iridescence whose colors range from blue to orange, though greenish-yellow and orange-yellow are predominant. The Labradorite has a pearly luster and is loose- there is no base or host rock, as usual.

Dims: 6.4 x 3.5 x 2.3" (16.3 x 8.9 x 5.8 cm)

Wt: 1 lb., 7.6 oz. (670 g)

Malagasy Republic, Madagascar

This large hand specimen consists of a shapeless chunk of crystalline Labradorite. It has no evident form, though crystalline tendencies are visible, and all edges and faces are rough and uneven. The material is generally opaque, though definite translucence and even a bit of dim transparence can be seen around its thinner edges. Its coloration is a dull gray-brown and it exhibits the classic, colorful iridescence of its species- this coloration is predominantly yellow, though areas of orange, green and blue are also present. A thick vein of another, darker brown material extends partway through the piece, but there is no host rock present.

Dims: 4.0 x 3.6 x 2.6" (10.2 x 9.1 x 6.6 cm)

Wt: 1 lb., 11.1 oz. (767 g)

Malagasy Republic, Madagascar

A shapeless chunk of Labradorite makes up this hand specimen. It shows no definite form, though some crystalline tendencies are present. Its color is a dull gray-brown, its luster is waxy-to-pearly, and it is essentially opaque. However, when viewed from certain angles, this material shows a beautiful and colorful iridescence when viewed at certain angles. This color tends to gravitate towards yellow and pale orange, though one can see small patches of green and blue. A few small veins of dark brown material extend partway through the Labradorite, but there is no base or host material present. It would make excellent carving or cabbing rough.

Dims: 9.0 x 4.0 x 0.3" (22.9 x 10.2 x 0.8 cm)

Wt: 9.6 oz. (274.6 g)

Labrador Peninsula, Canada

This cabinet specimen consists of a cut slab of Labradorite. The slab shows definite crystalline tendencies, but no visible crystal form. Its color is a dark gray and straight veins of a white material extend through it. Blue, green and yellow iridescence show up when the piece is viewed from certain angles. The slab has been coated with a polyurethane lacquer. The coating is much thicker on one side than on the other, and has been polished to a high gloss to make the color easier to see.

Dims: 5.4 x 3.4 x 3.0" (13.8 x 8.6 x 7.5 cm)

Wt: 2 lbs., 2.2 oz. (969 g)

Labrador Peninsula, Canada

This cabinet specimen consists of a large, rough chunk of crystalline Labradorite. Though showing no definite crystal form, its crystalline tendencies are obvious. Its color is a dull gray-brown, and its luster is pearly. When viewed from certain angles under bright light, a colorful iridescence is visible- the colors are restricted primarily to shades of blue, green and yellow. There is no host rock present.

Dims: 4.19x2.51x1.00" (10.65x6.38x2.55cm)

Wt: 6.30oz (178.3g)

Malagasy Republic, Madagascar

This is a supurb hand specimen of labradorite. One side of the specimen has been polished to a high gloss, while the reverse side shows the original crystal fracture surfaces (one can readily outline the individual labradorite crystals that are intergrown to comprise this specimen). The colors (blue, red, yellow, and some green) are unusually bright, and may be seen over a very wide range of angles. Of special note - these crystals are translucent, even transparent in the thinest sections - and I can definately see a millimeter or two into the specimen in some areas. Disclaimer: labradorite is one of my favorite minerals.

Dims: 6.03x3.50x0.21" (15.32x8.90x0.54cm)

Wt: 6.33oz (179g)

near Larvik, Norway

While this slab of labradorite looks like the "Spectrolite" variety from Finland, the accompanying documentation identifies it as being from Larvik, Norway (which would make it the variety called "Larvikite"). The optical effect is all blue, and is visible in patches over most of its surface, and the individual crystals have enough different orientations that the blue labradorescence can be seen from all angles (unlike Madagascar labradorite).

Dims: 6.03x3.39x0.18" (15.32x8.60x0.46cm)

Wt: 5.62oz (159g)

near Larvik, Norway

This labradorite is the variety called "Larvikite". It has a pale blue labradorescence whose pattern identifies each crystal in the specimen. Those crystals are relatively large and elongated. The slab is not polished, and sw marks are readily visible, especially on one side.

Dims: 6.3x3.9x1.3in (16x10x3.2cm)

Wt: 25.6oz (726g)

Madagascar

THis high-quality labradorite specimen has been polished on one face and has a flat base so that it displays well. When the light hits it just right, the color is excellent, showing lighter shades of green, yellow, and blue on the fron, and deep shades of blue and even some purples on the rough back. There are numerous fine cracks and a few larger ones filled with an opaque black mineral that looks like aegirine to me.