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Lepidolite

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Polylithionite, etc.

Point of Rocks Quarry, Point of Rocks Mesa, Springer, Colfax Co., New Mexico, USA
Trilithionite

Brown Derby Mine, Quartz Creek Pegmatite District, Gunnison Co., Colorado, USA
Lepidolite, etc.

Himalaya Mine, Gem Hill, Mesa Grande District, San Diego Co., California, USA
Polylithionite, etc.

Point of Rocks Quarry, Point of Rocks Mesa, Springer, Colfax Co., New Mexico, USA
Trilithionite

Brown Derby Mine, Quartz Creek Pegmatite District, Gunnison Co., Colorado, USA
Lepidolite, etc.

Himalaya Mine, Gem Hill, Mesa Grande District, San Diego Co., California, USA
Polylithionite, etc.

Point of Rocks Quarry, Point of Rocks Mesa, Springer, Colfax Co., New Mexico, USA
Trilithionite

Brown Derby Mine, Quartz Creek Pegmatite District, Gunnison Co., Colorado, USA
Colour:
Pink, light purple, light rose red, other colors possible but are rare.
Lustre:
Sub-Vitreous, Resinous, Greasy, Pearly
Hardness:
2½ - 3½
Specific Gravity:
2.8 - 2.9
Crystal System:
Monoclinic
Member of:
Mica Group
Name:
Named in 1792 by Martin Klaproth from the Greek words lepidos for "scale" and lithos for "stone".
Series Formula:
KLi2Al(Si4O10)(F,OH)2 to K(Li1.5Al1.5)(AlSi3O10)(F,OH)2
A series between Polylithionite and Trilithionite

A Li-rich mica in, or close to, the so-called Polylithionite-Trilithionite series.

The original lepidolite came from Rožná pegmatite, Žďár nad Sázavou, Vysočina Region, Moravia (Mähren; Maehren), Czech Republic.

The name is sometimes incorrectly applied to lithian muscovite.


Visit gemdat.org for gemological information about Lepidolite.


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Classification of LepidoliteHide

IMA status:
Discredited

Physical Properties of LepidoliteHide

Lustre:
Sub-Vitreous, Resinous, Greasy, Pearly
Transparency:
Transparent, Translucent
Colour:
Pink, light purple, light rose red, other colors possible but are rare.
Comment:
Ideally colorless, but frequently occurs in manganese-bearing environments
Streak:
white
Hardness:
2½ - 3½ on Mohs scale
Tenacity:
Elastic
Cleavage:
Perfect
{001} perfect
Fracture:
Micaceous
Density:
2.8 - 2.9 g/cm3 (Measured)    2.83 g/cm3 (Calculated)
Comment:
Calculated densities for various polytypes to 3.11

Age informationHide

Age range:
Mesoproterozoic to Cretaceous : 1020 Ma to 126.1 ± 1.1 Ma - based on data given below.
Sample ages:
Sample IDRecorded ageGeologic TimeDating method
1126.1 ± 1.1 MaEarly CretaceousAr-Ar
2245 to 240 MaMiddle TriassicK, He
3245 to 240 MaMiddle TriassicK, He
4245 to 240 MaMiddle TriassicK, He
5281 ± 2 MaCisuralianAr-Ar
6295 ± 4 MaCisuralianAr-Ar
7295 to 280 MaCisuralianAr-Ar
81020 to 980 MaProterozoicRb, K, U-Pb
Sample references:
IDLocalityReference
1Oktyabrskaya pegmatite vein, Malkhan pegmatite field, Krasnyi Chikoy, Chitinskaya Oblast', Transbaikalia, Eastern-Siberian Region, RussiaZagorsky, V. E., & Peretyazhko, I. S. (2010, February). First 40 Ar/39 Ar Age determinations on the Malkhan granite-pegmatite system: geodynamic implications. In Doklady Earth Sciences, 430(2), 172-175.
2Khaldzan Buragtag massif, Altai Mts, Hovd Aimag, MongoliaGastil, R. G. (1960) The distribution of mineral dates in time and space. American Journal of Science, 258(1), 1-35.
3Altai Republic, Western-Siberian Region, Russia  "  "
4  "  "  "  "
5Ungursai Ta Deposit, Irtysh River, Kalba Range, Eastern Kazakhstan Province, KazakhstanKotler, P. D., Khromykh, S. V., Vladimirov, A. G., Navozov, O. V., Travin, A. V., Karavaeva, G. S., ... & Murzintsev, N. G. (2015, June). New data on the age and geodynamic interpretation of the Kalba-Narym granitic batholith, eastern Kazakhstan. In Doklady Earth Sciences (Vol. 462, No. 2, pp. 565-569). Pleiades Publishing.
6  "  "  "  "
7Yubileinoye Ta Deposit, Kalba Range, Eastern Kazakhstan Province, KazakhstanMurzintsev N.G., Oytseva T.A., Kotler P.D., Vladimirov A.G., Travin A.V., Khromykh S.V., D'yachkov B.A., Kuz'mina O.N., Annikova I.Yu. (2016). Ar/Ar Isotopic age and structural control of spodumene-pegmatite deposits of eastern Kazakhstan. Conference on the Altaids and Uralides March 29 – April 1, 2016, Theses, Novosibirsk, Russia (p. 131-135).
8Seventy-Six shaft, Willow Creek District, Gunnison Co., Colorado, USAGastil, R. G. (1960) The distribution of mineral dates in time and space. American Journal of Science, 258(1), 1-35.

Crystallography of LepidoliteHide

Crystal System:
Monoclinic

X-Ray Powder DiffractionHide

Image Loading

Radiation - Copper Kα
Data Set:
Data courtesy of RRUFF project at University of Arizona, used with permission.

Synonyms of LepidoliteHide

Other Language Names for LepidoliteHide

Varieties of LepidoliteHide

Cs-rich LepidoliteA variety of Lepidolite enriched in Caesium.
Purple JadeA dense mass of fine grained lepidolite, which is used for carving and as an ornamental stone. It usually contains minor quartz, feldspar, spodumene and occasionally pollucite as impurities. Technically, this material is a rock and not a mineral.
Rb-rich LepidoliteA variety of Lepidolite enriched in Rubidium.

Relationship of Lepidolite to other SpeciesHide

Member of:
Mica Group
Other Members of this group:
AluminoceladoniteK(Mg,Fe2+)Al(Si4O10)(OH)2Mon.
Anandite(Ba,K)(Fe2+,Mg)3((Si,Al,Fe)4O10)(S,OH)2Mon. 2/m : B2/b
AnniteKFe2+3(AlSi3O10)(OH)2Mon. 2/m : B2/m
AspidoliteNaMg3(AlSi3O10)(OH)2Mon. 2/m : B2/m
BalestraiteKLi2V5+Si4O12Mon. 2 : B2
BiotiteA series or subgroup of the Mica Group.
BityiteLiCaAl2(AlBeSi2O10)(OH)2Mon. 2/m : B2/b
BoromuscoviteKAl2(BSi3O10)(OH)2Mon.
Brammallite(Na,H3O)(Al,Mg,Fe)2((Si,Al)4O10)(OH)2Mon.
CeladoniteK(Mg,Fe2+)Fe3+(Si4O10)(OH)2Mon. 2/m : B2/m
Chernykhite(Ba,Na)(V3+,Al,Mg)2((Si,Al)4O10)(OH)2Mon.
ChromceladoniteK(Mg,Fe2+)(Cr,Al)(Si4O10)(OH)2Mon.
ChromphylliteK(Cr,Al)2(AlSi3O10)(OH,F)2Mon. 2/m : B2/b
ClintoniteCa(Mg,Al)3(Al3SiO10)(OH)2Mon. 2/m : B2/m
EastoniteKMg2Al(Al2Si2O10)(OH)2Mon.
EphesiteLiNaAl2(Al2Si2O10)(OH)2Tric.
FerroaluminoceladoniteK(Fe2+,Mg)(Al,Fe3+)(Si4O10)(OH)2Mon. 2/m : B2/m
FerroceladoniteK(Fe2+,Mg)(Fe3+,Al)(Si4O10)(OH)2Mon. 2/m : B2/m
Ferrokinoshitalite(Ba,K)(Fe2+,Mg)3(Al2Si2O10)(OH,F)2Mon.
FluoranniteKFe2+3(AlSi3O10)(F,OH)2Mon.
FluorophlogopiteKMg3(AlSi3O10)(F,OH)2Mon. 2/m : B2/m
Ganterite(Ba,Na,K)(Al,Mg)2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2Mon.
GarmiteCsLiMg2(Si4O10)F2Mon.
Glauconite(K,Na)(Mg,Fe2+,Fe3+)(Fe3+,Al)(Si,Al)4O10(OH)2Mon. 2/m : B2/m
HendricksiteK(Zn,Mg,Mn2+)3(AlSi3O10)(OH)2Mon. 2/m : B2/m
IlliteK0.65Al2.0[Al0.65Si3.35O10](OH)2Mon. 2/m : B2/m
Kinoshitalite(Ba,K)(Mg,Mn2+,Al)3(Al2Si2O10)(OH)2Mon.
LuanshiweiiteKLiAl1.5□0.5(Si3.5Al0.5)O10(OH,F)2 Mon. 2/m : B2/b
ManganiceladoniteKMgMn3+Si4O10(OH)2Mon.
MargariteCaAl2(Al2Si2O10)(OH)2Mon.
Masutomilite(K,Rb)(Li,Mn3+,Al)3(AlSi3O10)(F,OH)2Mon.
Montdorite(K,Na)2(Fe2+,Mn2+,Mg)5(Si4O10)2(OH,F)4
MuscoviteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2Mon. 2/m : B2/b
NanpingiteCsAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH,F)2Mon.
Natro-glauconite(Na,K)(Fe3+,Al,Mg)2((Si,Al)4O10)(OH)2
NorrishiteKLiMn3+2(Si4O10)O2Mon. 2/m : B2/m
Oxykinoshitalite(Ba,K)(Mg,Ti,Fe3+,Fe2+)3((Si,Al)4O10)(O,OH,F)2Mon. 2/m : B2/m
OxyphlogopiteK(Mg,Ti,Fe)3[(Si,Al)4O10](O,F)2Mon. 2/m : B2/m
ParagoniteNaAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2Mon.
PhengiteKAl1.5(Mg,Fe)0.5(Al0.5Si3.5O10)(OH)2
PhlogopiteKMg3(AlSi3O10)(OH)2Mon. 2/m : B2/m
PolylithioniteKLi2Al(Si4O10)(F,OH)2Mon. 2/m : B2/b
PreiswerkiteNaMg2Al(Al2Si2O10)(OH)2Mon.
RoscoeliteK(V3+,Al)2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2Mon. 2/m : B2/b
ShirokshiniteKNaMg2(Si4O10)F2Mon. 2/m : B2/m
ShirozuliteK(Mn2+,Mg)3(AlSi3O10)(OH)2Mon. 2/m : B2/m
SiderophylliteKFe2+2Al(Al2Si2O10)(OH)2Mon.
SokolovaiteCsLi2Al(Si4O10)F2Mon.
Suhailite(NH4)Fe2+3(AlSi3O10)(OH)2Mon. 2/m : B2/m
TainioliteKLiMg2(Si4O10)F2Mon.
TetraferrianniteKFe2+3((Fe3+,Al)Si3O10)(OH)2Mon.
TetraferriphlogopiteKMg3(Fe3+Si3O10)(OH,F)2
Tobelite(NH4,K)Al2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2Mon.
TrilithioniteK(Li1.5Al1.5)(AlSi3O10)(F,OH)2Mon. 2/m : B2/b
UM1988-22-SiO:AlCaFFeHKLiMgKLiMgAl2Si3O10F2Mon.
VoloshiniteRb(LiAl1.5□1.5)(Al0.5Si3.5)O10F2Mon. 2/m : B2/b
Wonesite(Na,K)(Mg,Fe,Al)6((Al,Si)4O10)2(OH,F)4Mon. 2/m : B2/m
YangzhumingiteKMg2.5(Si4O10)F2Mon. 2/m : B2/m
ZinnwalditeKLiFe2+Al(AlSi3O10)(F,OH)2Mon.

Common AssociatesHide

Associated Minerals Based on Photo Data:
Elbaite883 photos of Lepidolite associated with Elbaite on mindat.org.
Quartz348 photos of Lepidolite associated with Quartz on mindat.org.
Cleavelandite303 photos of Lepidolite associated with Cleavelandite on mindat.org.
Albite233 photos of Lepidolite associated with Albite on mindat.org.
Tourmaline173 photos of Lepidolite associated with Tourmaline on mindat.org.
Rubellite108 photos of Lepidolite associated with Rubellite on mindat.org.
Morganite65 photos of Lepidolite associated with Morganite on mindat.org.
Microcline63 photos of Lepidolite associated with Microcline on mindat.org.
Topaz58 photos of Lepidolite associated with Topaz on mindat.org.
Muscovite58 photos of Lepidolite associated with Muscovite on mindat.org.

Fluorescence of LepidoliteHide

In UV light:
Frequently fluoresces medium intensity of creamy white to pale yellow. Sometimes yellow.

Other InformationHide

Health Risks:
No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.
Industrial Uses:
Ore of lithium, cesium, and rubidium.

Lepidolite in petrologyHide

Common component of (items highlighted in red)

References for LepidoliteHide

Reference List:
Sort by Year (asc) | by Year (desc) | by Author (A-Z) | by Author (Z-A)
Schaller, Waldemar Theodore (1905) Crystallography of lepidolite: American Journal of Science, 4th. Series: 19: 225-226.
Stevens, Rollin Elbert (1938) New analyses of lepidolites and their interpretation: American Mineralogist: 23: 607-628.
Mineralogical Record (1989) 20: 109.
Rieder et al (1998) Nomenclature of the micas. Canadian Mineralogist: 36: 905-912.
Mineralogical Magazine (1999) 63: 267-279.
Kogure, T. and Bunno, M. (2004) Investigation of polytypes in lepidolite using electron back-scattered diffraction. American Mineralogist: 89: 1680-1684.

Internet Links for LepidoliteHide

Localities for LepidoliteHide

This map shows a selection of localities that have latitude and longitude coordinates recorded. Click on the symbol to view information about a locality. The symbol next to localities in the list can be used to jump to that position on the map.

Locality ListShow

Mineral and/or Locality  
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