Rocksday

Lepidolite

A lilac, lithium-bearing mica that forms sparkly scaly masses in pegmatites.

Lepidolite specimen
Photo: Robert M. Lavinsky, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

How to identify lepidolite

  • Lilac to purple, glittering scaly flakes.
  • Peels into thin flexible sheets.
  • Soft — a fingernail almost scratches it.

Often confused with

Where it's found

  • Minas Gerais, Brazil
  • Madagascar
  • Zimbabwe
  • Pala, California

Uses

A lithium ore and a decorative stone.

Rock tumbling

Not suitable for tumbling.

Did you know?

Its name comes from Greek lepidos, 'scale', after its flaky texture.

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