Virgem da Lapa, Minas Gerais, Brazil
Beautiful, floater crystals of lepidolite! Many of us normally dismiss this mineral as "matrix" but these stand on their own merits as fine crystal specimens. In person, very lustrous and quite beautiful as they are a deep hue of lavender-purple. 2 x 1.1 x 1.1 cm
© Rob Lavinsky & irocks.com
The side of this specimen of lepidolite has been cleaved to show something you do not often see: an absolutely GEMMY lavender interior, clear as glass, of a nice euhedral crysatl! Considering that lepidolite is usually either sheety like common mica or a bearing a dull translucency, this is quite remarkable to see! 3.2 x 1.8 x 1.8 cm
A beautiful cluster of three interpenetrating crystals of Lepidolite. Normally one would dismiss Lepidolite as mundane, but this tri-colored specimen stands out as a fine, translucent crystal specimen. In person, this very lustrous and beautiful Lepidolite will dress up anyone's pegmatite mineral collection or for that matter, anyone's collection ...
© Russell G. Rizzo & Cal Neva Mineral Company
Himalaya Mine, Gem Hill, Mesa Grande District, San Diego Co., California, USA
3.6 x 2.4 x 2.3 cm, 15.0 g This specimen consists of pinkish-purple lepidolite books with a few snow-white blades of albite.
© 2009 Eric C. Graff
The side of this specimen of lepidolite has been cleaved to show something you do not often see: an absolutely GEMMY lavender interior, clear as glass, of a nice euhedral crystal! Considering that lepidolite is usually either sheety like common mica or a bearing a dull translucency, this is quite remarkable to see! 3.3 x 1.9 x 1.7 cm
Mika pegmatite, Rangkul' Highlands, Gorno-Badakhshan, Tajikistan
Finished all around lepidolite specimen, from rare locality - Mika pegmatite, Rangkul' Highlands, Pamir Mts, Viloyati Mukhtori Gorno-Badakhshan, Tajikistan Size 110 x 80 x 60 mm
© Oleg Lopatkin
Beautiful, floater crystals of lepidolite! Many of us normally dismiss this mineral as "matrix" but these stand on their own merits as fine crystal specimens. In person, very lustrous and quite beautiful as they are a deep hue of lavender-purple. The best of th elot, its actually nicer on the flip side where you can see an auxiliary crystal as ...
Little Three Mine, Ramona, Ramona District, San Diego Co., California, USA
A natural cluster of deep purple lepidolite crystals on albite with quartz; from the Little Three mine near Hatfield Creek, Ramona, San Diego County, California, USA. Specimen measures approximately 111x106x63mm. Courtesy Pala International.
© 2003 Scott L. Ritchie
4.8 x 3.9 x 3.5 cm. A cluster of slightly lavender, translucent "books" of bladed lepidolite from the Himalaya - really not all that common from this classic locality, as compared to Brazil. These flashy, silvery crystals are compressed "books" of wafer-thin sheets, pressed so closely that if you look at them from the side they look like ...
17.3 x 10.1 x 7.0 cm. A superb lepidolite specimen by worldwide standards, with rich metallic blades of a lavender color, to 4 cm. These are well-developed crystals...the species is usually just rock matrix to better species, but here it is the focus. This is in particular a fine piece for San Diego County, not just good for the species, and just ...
A natural cluster of deep purple lepidolite crystals on quartz with cleavelandite; from the Little Three mine near Hatfield Creek, Ramona, San Diego County, California, USA. Specimen measures approximately 177x105x79mm. Courtesy Pala International.
© 2004 Scott L. Ritchie
Lepidolite on Microcline. Specimen is from the collection of the British Museum of Natural History #1906,362 (1975). Scale at bottom of image is an inch with a rule at one cm.
© Rock Currier
Beautiful, floater crystals of lepidolite! Many of us normally dismiss this mineral as "matrix" but these stand on their own merits as fine crystal specimens. In person, very lustrous and quite beautiful as they are a deep hue of lavender-purple. 2.4 x 2.1 x 0.7 cm
Alto Ligonha District, Zambezia Province, Mozambique
Specimen width ~ 13 cm. Collection and photo Rui Nunes, October 2007.
© Rui Nunes 2007
Beautiful, floater crystals of lepidolite! Many of us normally dismiss this mineral as "matrix" but these stand on their own merits as fine crystal specimens. In person, very lustrous and quite beautiful as they are a deep hue of lavender-purple. 1.9 x 1.7 x 0.6 cm
Beautiful, floater crystals of lepidolite! Many of us normally dismiss this mineral as "matrix" but these stand on their own merits as fine crystal specimens. In person, very lustrous and quite beautiful as they are a deep hue of lavender-purple. 2.7 x 2.4 x 0.6 cm
Coronel Murta, Minas Gerais, Brazil
6.2 x 5.1 x 3.2 cm An interesting formation of purple lepidolite mica "books" forming a terminated stack which graduates in colour from a deep purple to a lighter grey.The specimen is quite gemmy in places. Crystal Vine specimen, Sara Giller photograph.
© Crystal Vine
Barra do Salinas district, Barra do Salinas, Coronel Murta, Minas Gerais, Brazil
Width of field is 7.0 mm. Collection and photo Jesse Crawford. Compositing software CombineZP. Equipment: Nikon D-100 digital camera on a homemade microscope.
© 2008 by Jesse Crawford
A towering column of ball-like Lepidolite from the world renowned pegmatites of Brazil. This dramatic tower of Lepidolite has a mirror-like lustre that stands out above and beyond most Lepidolite specimens of this type of habit. specimen size = 17 x 7.5 x 4.7 cm.
© Russ Rizzo & Cal Neva Mineral Company
Big sample and nice - 22x20x11cm - December of 2008
© Photo & Collection of Martins da Pedra
4.9 x 4.5 x 3.5 cm. Gemmy, barrel-shaped, lavender lepidolite crystals to 1.3 cm are aesthetically set on a sharp, euhedral microcline crystal from the Himalaya Mine. The microcline crystal has a distinct, 4-sided, pyramidal shape and is nicely accented by a bit of bladed cleavelandite.
6.1 x 4.7 x 4.1 cm, 94.0 g This specimen consists of rosette-like spherical aggregates of lepidolite (each about 1 cm in diameter) associated with several small smoky quartz crystals on a matrix of whitish cleavelandite.
8.1 x 5.0 x 2.2 cm. A most unusual, isolated, textbook lepidolite crystal perched in a single complete floater crystal of feldspar. Bizarre termination, and a nice color and symmetry contrast make this a fine and unusual piece in any Himalaya collection. Ex. William Larson Collection.
A large cluster of lepidolite crystals with quartz from the Himalaya Mine, Mesa Grande, San Diego County, California. Specimen is 10 cm across.
© Photo Copyright © 2009, Jesse Fisher. Reproduction prohibited without permission.
Araçuaí, Minas Gerais, Brazil
Large, tapered crystal of lepidolite mica with lilac-purple color visible on the terminations. The crystal tapers from 7 cm across down to 3 cm across. Complete and undamaged. Overall size of mineral specimen: 7x5x5 cm. Size of individual crystals: 7 cm.
© 2002 John H. Betts
Lepidolite in curved crystals making mammillary forms. Collection and photograph Norman King.
© Norman King
Alto da Cabeca Mine, Parelhas, Borborema mineral province, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil
Very attractive 3 – 4 cm “balls” of lepidolite. The lepidolites, with a pleasing lavender color, are isolated on the matrix, and have a brilliant luster across their curved surfaces. 8.5 x 5.5 x 5 cm
Divino das Laranjeiras, Minas Gerais, Brazil
Lepidolite. Vasco Trancoso collection. Size: miniature, 4.0 x 3.0 x 2.8 cm This cluster of lepidolite crystals, from the side, almost appears to merge into one, but the terminations still give evidence of individual growth. Bicolored, crystals of the lithium rich, mica, lepidolite with rose-purple cores and pearlescent terminations. The body of ...
Varuträsk, Skellefte mining district, Skellefteå, Västerbotten, Sweden
Specimen 23x25 mm.
© Volker Betz (2008)
An unusual specimen with fat, lustrous, sparkling, lavender lepidolite crystals forming thick barrel-shaped crystals to 2 cm! A lot of people look down on the species as a boring micaceous mineral from the Himalaya, but these fat crystals are good for lepidolite from ANY location. Acquired from the collection of Tim Sherburn, who got it while ...
Morro Redondo mine, Coronel Murta, Minas Gerais, Brazil
This superb specimen consists of 2 feathery to plumose crystals of Lepidolite measuring 3.4 x 3.7 x 2.2 cm.
© Russell G. Rizzo & Cal Neva Mineral Co.
Specimen 22x25 mm.
© Volker Betz (2009)
Just a really nice reference specimen of classic ol' purply lepidolite! 5 x 4 x 3.5 cm
Field of view 25x35 mm. Rui Nunes specimen and photo.
© Rui Nunes 2006
Inside Muscovite, outside Lepidolite, a beautiful triangle Size: 6,5 cm x 4,5 cm 114,3 g
© Kuno Stoeckli
Pale lilac lepidolite with creamy yellow muscovite overgrowths. Crystals up to 2,5cm in field with 7x6cm - December of 2004
Lepidolite crystals in (white Cleavelandite). Specimen size 9x4cm. Self colected in 1994. Photo and Collection; Jorge M. Alves.
© Jorge Moreira Alves
Piteia Pegmatite, Alto Ligonha District, Zambezia Province, Mozambique
Name: Lepidolite (pink) Measurements: 36 x 14 cm Collected: Other - in the collection of Crater Rock Museum, Central Point, Oregon Photographer: Phyllis Richardson Info: Massive stalactite of lepidolite
© Crater Rock Museum
Itinga, Minas Gerais, Brazil
11.8 x 7.2 x 6.9 cm. This extraordinary lavender lepidolite is often called "ball" lepidolite due to the fact that the sheety crystals form these bubbly forms. This is a big specimen that appears to be a solid lump of solid lepidolite.
Grotta d'Oggi, San Piero in Campo, Campo nell'Elba, Elba Island, Livorno Province, Tuscany, Italy
24.65 mm rose of Lepidolite. Collection Adriano Perugini photo Matteo Chinellato
© Chinellato Matteo - Chinellatophoto.com
4 x 3 x 2.7 cm This specimen is composed of some exceptional crystals of Lepidolite. Lepidolite is not actually a recognized mineral species - but a series between Polylithionite and Trilithionite. This specimen exhibits gradiation between the two end members.
© Walter R. Kellogg
Galiléia, Minas Gerais, Brazil
A 6.9 by 4.8 cms group of Lepidolite crystals with a Quartz crystal in the middle. JSS specimen and photo.
© 2010 JSS
13.4 x 10.9 x 5.8 cm. This dark, translucent, sulfur yellow specimen is made up of large, fine, rosettes of lepidolite, to 2.5 cm across. It also has a drusy, dusting of a second generation of lepidolite.
Toca da Onça pegmatite, Virgem da Lapa, Minas Gerais, Brazil
2.5 x 2.0 x 1.5 cm
© Maggie Wilson
A fine crystallized grouping of purple lepidolite measuring 4.5 x 4.0 x 3.3 cm. Complete all around and clean of damage. Nice for the species! Ex Steve Pullman collection.
© Dan & Diana Weinrich Minerals
Uniaxial and parallel aggegates of clear lilac crystals on matrix.
© Carles Curto Milà 2009
Very fine for this species consisting of a stacked crystal grouping of purple lepidolite 2.5 cm in height set on a matrix of crystallized albite and microcline. Very clean of damage; minor pink elbaite in association as well. Size: 4.7 x 4.1 x 2.9 cm. Ex Gene and Sally LaBerge collection. Ref: The Mineralogical Record 8, 461-475.
Lepidolite. Specimen is from the collection of Charles Key (1976). Scale at bottom of image is an inch with a rule at one cm.
Superb for the species with light purple crystals of lepidolite, some forming aggregates to 3.0 cm across, covering a 7.6 x 5.0 x 4.5 cm matrix. No damage. Ex Lloyd Tate collection.
Bennett Quarry, Buckfield, Oxford Co., Maine, USA
Field of view is 2.8 x 3.0 cm. S. Bonney specimen and photograph.
© Steve Bonney 2006
Plate crystal with 5x3x1cm - April of 2003
Smoky quartz crystal 7 cm long overgrown with rosettes of pink-brown lepidolite up to 10 mm diameter. Three pink rubellite tourmaline crystals are attached along the sides. Classic gem pegmatite specimen. Ex. E.W. Shaw collection. Overall size of mineral specimen: 7x6x6 cm. Size of individual crystals: 5-70 mm.
7.3 x 5.5 x 3.6 cm. A very rich and attractive pinkish-purple Lepidolite crystal cluster comprising dozens upon dozens of sharp, lustrous crystals, some of which are rather gemmy in areas. This is certainly a dense specimen of this material and most of the crystal groups are undamaged. The piece is crystallized on all sides. Ex. Brian Kosnar.
Very pale purple lepidolite cores surrounded by creamy yellow muscovite. Crystals up to 2,5cm in field with 6x6cm - December of 2004
FOV ~ 6.5 cm high. What remains of the top xl is ~ 17 mm (originally ~ 3.5 cm). Found May 1993. MOB coll. Updated July 2012 using a dark background (and less exposure). I added a new stereo child photo but kept the old one as well - in case this isn't such a good idea after all. July 2013: Full res (but compressed) image ...
Picture width ~ 18 cm. Rui Nunes specimen and photo.
Pale purple lepidolite with creamy yellow muscovite outer zones. Field of view 7x10 mm. Rui Nunes specimen and photo.
Lepidolite crystals about 1cm across with a little pink Elbaite, in Albite variety Cleavelandite. 10 x 8cm Collected by myself in 1970
A wonderful tawny purple cluster of Lepidolite 'tubes'. 4.9 cm.
© J. Wingard
Hatch Farm prospect, East Mount Apatite District, Auburn, Androscoggin Co., Maine, USA
Lepidolite crystals, 1.5 mm in diameter. P. Cristofono specimen and photo, field collected in 2007.
© 2007 Peter Cristofono
Lepidolite crystals on Quartz. Specimen size 7x4cm. Self colected 1994. Photo and collection Jorge M. Alves
10.2 x 7.5 x 4.6 cm. A very large example of the pretty and fascinating "ball" lepidolite, where the light pastel-lavender lepidolite forms columnar masses that terminate in a curved shimmering surface like fish-scales. This is solid lepidolite. This is a very unusual old-time specimen from East Africa (with an old Burminco label).
Lepidolite crystals up to 5cm - December of 2008
7.6 x 4.5 x 3.6 cm. Milky quartz makes a nice color contrast to the translucent, sulfur yellow, rosettes of lepidolite, to 2.0 cm across.
Prismatic bicolored crystals of lepidolite on microcline. Each lepidolite crystal is dark purple in the middle and lilac on both ends. Top surface of microcline crystal 3.5 cm across (measured from lower left to upper right). Collection and photograph Norman King. Ex-Donald Cooke.
Lepidolite from the Varuträsk locality. Size 10,5 cm Photo & collection Øivind Thoresen
© Øivind Thoresen
Lepidolite with Albite Size: 10.5x9x7cm
Golconda pegmatite field, Governador Valadares, Minas Gerais, Brazil
Rounded, spherical crystals of lilac-pink lepidolite on massive lepidolite matrix. This formation is also known as ball-peen lepidolite after the resemblance to the round end of a ball-peen hammer. Overall size of mineral specimen: 6x4x3.5 cm. Size of individual crystals: 5-12 mm.
© 2003 John H. Betts
Walden Gem Quarry, Portland, Middlesex Co., Connecticut, USA
View is about 2 cm across. Photograph by Peter Cristofono.
© 2005 Peter Cristofono
Gonçalo, Guarda, Guarda, Portugal
Sample with 18x13x8cm - January of 1989
Dara-i-Pech pegmatite field, Chapa Dara District, Kunar, Afghanistan
A 9 cm specimen of "Lepidolite" crystals ( Polylithionite-Trilithionite series) from Peeck, Kunar, Afghanistan. Specimen and photo: Knut Eldjarn.
© Knut Eldjarn
Minas Gerais, Brazil
Hexagonal crystal of lepidolite 18 mm across composed of many smaller parallel 2-4 mm lepidolite crystals. Color is pale pink-purple. Complete and undamaged. Ex. A. Stevenson collection #829. Overall size of mineral specimen: 27x20x16 mm. Size of individual crystals: 2-18 mm.
© 2001 John H. Betts
Two interconnected crystals of lepidolite. The crystals are lilac-purple and transparent. The crystal shape is unusual - starting to form the classic star-mica shape, but not quite there yet. No damage. Overall size of mineral specimen: 30x22x14 mm. Size of individual crystals: 16-20 mm.
Pretty lavender lepidolite, with an almost metallic sheen, formed in a myriad of shell-like layers into what is known as "ball" lepidolite. Unusual! 3.6 x 3.1 x 2.2 cm
Rožná pegmatite, Rožná, Žďár nad Sázavou District, Vysočina Region, Czech Republic
Violet lepidolite from its type locality. Specimen 9×5 cm, collection of author.
© Jakub Jirásek, 2005
