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Leucite
Leucite is tectosilicate (feldspathoid), KAlSi₂O₆. In the hand, it rates 5.5 to 6 on the Mohs scale, and it runs white and gray-white. Chalk-white trapezohedral crystals, garnet's 24-faced shape in ghost white, studding dark potassium-rich lavas. Potassium-rich volcanoes: Vesuvius and Roman Province (Italy, the classics), Uganda, Wyoming (USA, Leucite Hills).
The geology.
Leucite carries the formula KAlSi₂O₆. It belongs to the tetragonal (pseudo-cubic trapezohedra) system. Its listing category is tectosilicate (feldspathoid).
It sits at 5.5 to 6 on the Mohs scale. The surface reads vitreous to dull. Light behaviour is translucent to opaque. Specific gravity runs 2.45 to 2.50. The streak is white. It breaks with very poor cleavage; conchoidal fracture.
Chalk-white trapezohedral crystals, garnet's 24-faced shape in ghost white, studding dark potassium-rich lavas.
It turns up mostly as trapezohedral crystals in lava or embedded 'white garnets' in volcanic matrix.
The origins.
Potassium-rich volcanoes: Vesuvius and Roman Province (Italy, the classics), Uganda, Wyoming (USA, Leucite Hills).
On value, the database notes: inexpensive; sharp Vesuvian crystals please collectors.
Traditional associations.
In energy work traditions, leucite has little established lore; old jewelers' 'white garnet' nickname is its main fame.
This is lore, and we label it as lore. The measurable facts are further up the page.
Spotting the real thing.
Chalk-white trapezohedral crystals, garnet's 24-faced shape in ghost white, studding dark potassium-rich lavas.
| Looks like | How to tell them apart |
|---|---|
| Garnet | Same crystal shape, wrong everything else, garnet is hard, colored, and heavy; leucite is white, lighter, and softer |
| Analcime | Near-identical white trapezohedra in basalt cavities, analcime lines pockets; leucite embeds IN lava; labs split hairs |
| Quartz | Quartz forms hexagonal prisms, never trapezohedra |
At-home tests.
A loupe and a window seat settle most questions about leucite. No workshop required.
| Test | What you should see |
|---|---|
| By eye | White trapezohedral form embedded in dark lava |
| By eye | Light in hand (SG ~2.5) |
| Scratch check | Knife barely scratches it |
If these checks leave you unsure, that is what appraisers are for. Do not file, heat or soak a piece to find out.
Care & handling.
At 5.5 to 6 on the Mohs scale it handles careful wear but scratches against quartz and dust. Store it separately and take rings off before rough work.
It breaks with very poor cleavage; conchoidal fracture, which is worth knowing before you set it or drop it.
Most damage happens during cleaning, not wearing. Avoid steamers, ultrasonic tanks and anything from under the sink.
A deeper look.
Extended detail on composition, sourcing, authentication and market value.
The physical record
The formula on record is KAlSi₂O₆. Crystal system: Tetragonal (pseudo-cubic trapezohedra). Specific gravity: 2.45 to 2.50. Streak: White. Cleavage and fracture: Very poor cleavage; conchoidal fracture.
How it reaches the market
Potassium-rich volcanoes: Vesuvius and Roman Province (Italy, the classics), Uganda, Wyoming (USA, Leucite Hills).
What it gets confused with
Garnet: Same crystal shape, wrong everything else, garnet is hard, colored, and heavy; leucite is white, lighter, and softer. Analcime: Near-identical white trapezohedra in basalt cavities, analcime lines pockets; leucite embeds IN lava; labs split hairs. Quartz: Quartz forms hexagonal prisms, never trapezohedra.
What it is worth
Inexpensive; sharp Vesuvian crystals please collectors.
One more thing
Romans walked streets paved with leucite-bearing lava, Vesuvius's 'white garnets' stud the ancient roadstones.
An education-first guide.
There is nothing to buy on this page. Leucite is not part of our catalogue, and the guide is here anyway because somebody searching the name deserves a straight answer.
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