Mineral Name Lepidolite
First Discovered 1792
Nickel-Strunz Classification 09.EC.20
Dana Classification 71.02.02b.07
ICSD Pre IMA
Mineral Group Silicates - Phyllosilicate, composed of tetrahedral and octahedral nets, in the Mica group


Lepidolite is a lilac-gray or rose coloured phyllosilicate mineral of the mica group that is a secondary source of lithium. Lepidolite is associated with other lithium-bearing minerals like spodumene in pegmatite bodies. It is one of the major sources of the rare alkali metals rubidium and cesium. In 1861 Robert Bunsen and Gustav Kirchhoff extracted 150 kg of lepidolite and yielded a few grams of rubidium salts for analysis, and therefore discovered the new element rubidium.


Within the metaphysical realm of minerals, Lepidolite aids in overcoming any kind of emotional or mental dependency, supporting in the release of addictions and complaints of all kinds, including anorexia. It encourages independence and self love and trust. Lepidolite combines its power of objectivity with direction and unimpeded communication, focusing on what is important and making it an excellent stone for business pursuits.

Please note that MIROFOSS does not suggest in any way that minerals should be used in place of proper medical and psychological care. This information is provided here as a reference only.

Lepidolite is used as an ore to extract rare earth elements such as lithium, cesium, and rubidium.


Lepidolite may be found in aplites associated with granite pegmatite. It is rarely found in hydrothermal veins and extremely rarely in granite contact zones.


Lepidolite occurs in granite pegmatites, in some high-temperature quartz veins, greisens, and granites. Associated minerals include quartz, feldspar, spodumene, amblygonite, tourmaline, columbite, cassiterite, topaz, and beryl. Notable occurrences of Lepidolite can be found in Brazil; Ural Mountains, Russia; California; Tanco Mine, Bernic Lake, Manitoba, Canada; and Madagascar.

Other than in the basic mineral form, lepidolite can be found in three distinct varieties:

Cleavage Perfect  
Colour(s) Colourless, Gray white, Lilac, Yellowish white
Specific Gravity 2.84
Diaphaneity Translucent
Fracture Uneven – flat surfaces fractured in an uneven pattern
Mohs Hardness 2.5 to 3.0
Luminescence Non-fluorescent
Lustre Vitreous to Pearly
Streak White
Habit(s) Crystalline to Disseminated to Massive
Radioactivity Lepidolite per GRapi unit = 143.68
Magnetism Non-magnetic


The following health hazards should be noted when handling lepidolite

RADIOACTIVE

Slightly detectable radioactivity


The following image shows the Elemental breakdown of the mineral lepidolite along with the mineral crystal structure.


Crystal System Monoclinic
Class Group C
Axial Ratios a : b : c = 0.5808 : 1 : 2.2474
Tenacity Elastic
Optical Data Type Biaxial (-)
Pleochroism (x) Colourless
Pleochroism (y) Colourless
Pleochroism (z) N/A  
RL Values N/A
2V N/A
Max Birefringence No Birefringence Available
Surface Relief High
Dispersion Weak r > v  


Lepidolite can be referenced in certain current and historical texts under the following seven names:


The mineral lepidolite can be translated into the following select languages:

Arabic اللبيدوليت Bulgarian   Chinese (Sim) 锂云母
Croatian lepidolit Czech Lepidolit Danish  
Dutch Lepidoliet Esperanto   Estonian  
Finnish Lepidoliitti French   German Lepidolit
Greek   Hebrew   Hungarian Lepidolit
Italian   Japanese リチア雲母 Korean 레삐
Latin   Lithuanian   Norwegian  
Persian لپدولیت Polish Lepidolit Portuguese  
Romanian   Russian Лепидолит Slovak Lepidolit
Spanish Lepidolita Swedish lepidolit Tagalog  
Turkish Lepidolit Ukrainian лепідоліт Vietnamese  


Lepidolite can be found in a few places around the world. The map below shows major documented concentrations of lepidolite:

The MIROFOSS database offers free printable geological identification tags for personal and non-profit use. These tags can be used to properly identify mineral samples in your collection. -Click here- to download a full size jpeg image for a lepidolite identification tag; which can be printed on paper or used with a plastic laser printer.

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Chemical Composition Stevens, Rollin Elbert (1938), New analyses of lepidolites and their interpretation: American Mineralogist: 23: 607-628.
Kogure, T. and Bunno, M. (2004) Investigation of polytypes in lepidolite using electron back-scattered diffraction. American Mineralogist: 89: 1680-1684.
Crystallography Schaller, Waldemar Theodore (1905), Crystallography of lepidolite: American Journal of Science, 4th. Series: 19: 225-226
History Canadian Mineralogist (1998): 36: 905-912
Mineralogical Magazine (1999): 63: 267-279
Geographical Data Mindat.org. Retrieved on 2012-03-15
Physical Identification Webmineral.com. Retrieved on 2012-03-15.
March 15, 2012 The last time this page was updated
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