Location: Madagascar

Size: 5.5 x 2.9 x 1.55 inches

This 1.04 pound specimen from Madagascar is polished on every side. Labradorite is a feldspar mineral and a member of the plagioclase series. It occurs as clear, white to gray, blocky shaped grains in common mafic igneous rocks such as basalt and gabbro, as well as in anorthosites. Some specimens like these exhibit a schiller effect (a strong play of iridescent blue, green, red, orange, and yellow colors) as shown in the photographs. Labradorite is so well known for these displays of color that the effect is known as "labradorescence." The type area for Labradorite is Paul Island near the town of Nain in Labrador, Canada. Hence it’s name. Some gemstone varieties of Labradorite exhibiting a high degree of labradorescence are called Spectrolite.