Judging quality
Look for glittering micaceous lustre and even lilac color; lepidolite in quartz is more stable than pure book-form material, which flakes.
Mica
Lepidolite
Lithium-bearing mica in soft lilac, splitting into flexible sheets. Often intergrown with pink tourmaline in pegmatite pockets.
Care
Very soft and flaky. Do not soak; handle gently.
History & lore
Lepidolite was a principal commercial source of lithium before brine extraction took over in the twentieth century.
Cultural history, recorded as tradition rather than as medical or scientific claim.
Common questions about Lepidolite
- What is Lepidolite?
- Lithium-bearing mica in soft lilac, splitting into flexible sheets. Often intergrown with pink tourmaline in pegmatite pockets.
- How hard is Lepidolite and what is it made of?
- Lepidolite is a Mica-family mineral with the composition K(Li,Al)3(Si,Al)4O10(F,OH)2. It crystallizes in the monoclinic system and rates 2.5-3 on the Mohs hardness scale. It occurs in lilac, pink, grey.
- Where does Lepidolite come from?
- Notable localities for Lepidolite include Brazil, Madagascar, USA (California, Maine), Zimbabwe.
- How do you tell good Lepidolite from filler?
- Look for glittering micaceous lustre and even lilac color; lepidolite in quartz is more stable than pure book-form material, which flakes.
- How do you care for Lepidolite?
- Very soft and flaky. Do not soak; handle gently.
See it in person
Photographs only go so far
Both rooms are open six days a week, and there is always someone happy to pull pieces out of the case so you can compare them under the light.