Callaghanite

Description

Callaghanite has a hardness of 3-3.5 and a specific gravity of 2.71. It makes for a great Magnesium sample, as its TL is a Magnesium deposit, and it’s named after Dr. Eugene “Pat” Callaghan, the Director of the New Mexico Bureau of Mines, and a geologist who worked on magnesite deposits.

It also contains some Copper, Oxygen, and Hydrogen. While there are 828 minerals which contain Magnesium, of all various colors, it may be the Magnesium or the Copper that has this mineral sporting such a striking shade of blue.

Spread across two continents, Callaghanite has historically only been found in nine locations – two each in Austria, Germany, Italy, then each one in Michigan, Oklahoma, and Nevada.

There’s not very much more information on Callaghanite online, it seems, as it was only just approved as a new mineral less than 70 years ago, and, Magnesium may not be the most valuable metal, but this is still one cool, blue rock, so be sure to keep your eyes out for it the next time you see some rocks that look like this!