Angelite

Anhydrite is a rock-forming mineral of evaporite beds, found with gypsum, halite and limestone, and also in hydrothermal veins. Angelite comes from Peru; Mindat notes that the name has not yet been applied to anhydrite from any other locality. Peruvian lapidary workshops in Lima cut it into balls, eggs, wands and animal carvings. It reached the international gem market in the late 1980s.

Angelite is anhydrite, so a gem test identifies it as anhydrite; "angelite" and "angeline" are trade names only. Cleavage in three directions at right angles can make broken pieces look cube-like (hence the old name "cube spar"). Unlike marble, anhydrite does not effervesce in hydrochloric acid (a destructive test). Over time, exposure to water alters anhydrite into gypsum. Blue anhydrite colors fade when heated and can be restored by gamma irradiation.

With a hardness of 3 to 3.5 and three cleavage directions, angelite scratches and breaks easily; avoid rings and choose protective settings, earrings or pendants. Keep it dry, including in storage, because anhydrite absorbs moisture and slowly turns into gypsum. Do not wipe dust off it, since hard quartz dust scratches it; pat it with a lint-free cloth instead.

According to Mindat, the name "angelite" first appeared as a New Age/metaphysical name for the Peruvian anhydrite, and various powers were attributed to it. The International Gem Society notes that the trade names carry deliberate angelic connotations and that the material was introduced to world gem markets in the late 1980s.