Angelite

Angelite is the trade name for a soft, pale blue variety of the mineral anhydrite, which is a calcium sulfate mineral (calcium sulfate, CaSO₄) lacking water in its structure. It forms through the dehydration of gypsum (calcium sulfate dihydrate), typically in arid, evaporite environments where water loss from gypsum layers transforms them into anhydrite over time. Angelite crystallizes in the orthorhombic system and typically occurs in massive, compact forms rather than well- defined crystals. It has a relatively low Mohs hardness of 3 to 3. 5 and exhibits a smooth, waxy to matte luster when polished.

Geologically, Angelite is most famously found in Peru, particularly in the Huancayo and Lima regions of the Andes Mountains, where thick gypsum beds have undergone dehydration due to environmental and tectonic conditions. While anhydrite itself is common globally in sedimentary basins and salt domes, the attractive pale blue variety known as Angelite is far rarer and primarily used as a decorative or