Lepidolite
Once thought of as a single mineral species, lepidolite has been recently redefined as a series of minerals in the mica group.[1] Chemically, it may be referred to as potassium lithium aluminosilicate. Its lithium content can vary, but the lithium-rich varieties form an important source of this element and are generally associated with other lithium-bearing minerals (such as spodumene) in pegmatite bodies. It is also one of the main sources of the rare alkali metals, rubidium and cesium.[2]
Characteristics
The chemical formula of lepidolite may be written as KLi2Al(Al,Si)3O10(F,OH)2. It has a vitreous to pearly luster and ranges from transparent to translucent. Typically, its colors range from lilac to pale pink to white, but gray and yellow varieties have also been found occasionally.
- Crystal System: monoclinic; 2/m.
- Crystal Habits: include tabular to prismatic crystals with a prominent pinacoid termination. Lepidolite forms pseudo-hexagonal "books." Also as micaceous or granular masses.
- Cleavage: perfect in one direction perpendicular to the c-axis.
- Fracture: uneven.
- Hardness: 2.5
- Specific Gravity: 2.8+
- Streak: white
- Density:2.8-2.9 Average size 2.84
Associated Minerals: quartz, feldspar, spodumene, amblygonite, tourmaline.
Notable Occurrences: Brazil; Ural Mountains, Russia; California; Tanco Pegmatite, Bernic Lake Manitoba, Canada.
See also
Notes
- ↑ Lepidolite. Mindat.org. Retrieved May 11, 2007.
- ↑ H. Nechamkin, The Chemistry of the Elements (New York: McGraw-Hill, 1968).
ReferencesISBN links support NWE through referral fees
- Deer, W.A., R.A. Howie, and J. Zussman. 1996. An Introduction to the Rock-Forming Minerals. 2nd ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. ISBN 0582300940.
- Farndon, John. 2006. The Practical Encyclopedia of Rocks & Minerals: How to Find, Identify, Collect and Maintain the World's best Specimens, with over 1000 Photographs and Artworks. London: Lorenz Books. ISBN 0754815412.
- Klein, Cornelis, and Barbara Dutrow. 2007. Manual of Mineral Science. 23rd ed. New York: John Wiley. ISBN 978-0471721574.
- Pellant, Chris. 2002. Rocks and Minerals. Smithsonian Handbooks. New York: Dorling Kindersley. ISBN 0789491060.
- Shaffer, Paul R., Herbert S. Zim, and Raymond Perlman. 2001. Rocks, Gems and Minerals. Rev. ed. New York: St. Martin's Press. ISBN 1582381321.
- Mineral Gallery. 2006. The Mineral Lepidolite. Amethyst Galleries. Retrieved May 11, 2007.
External links
- Lepidolite. Mindat.org. Retrieved May 11, 2007.
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