Lepidolite

Item Description

A beautiful group of semi-spherical violet-purple Lepidolite from the Itinga area in Brazil. The Lepidolite crystals are wonderfully well-formed, showing beautiful form, with a somewhat pearly exterior and slight transclucency when backlit. A small amount of bladed white Albite can be seen on the back of the piece as well. This is a good quality Lepidolite, with virtually no pink color whatsoever, it is almost pure purple, which is uncommon in my experience with the material. It's not 100% damage free, but still attractive and unusual as far as Lepidolites go. As of the time I have posted this auction, Lepidolite has been discredited by the IMA. Right now, it's said to be a series between Polylithionite and Trilithionite. Considering the name has been around since 1792, it's hard to remove it from the common consciousness of mineral collectors and dealers alike. Nonetheless, do not miss out on this great Brazilian display piece, as good specimens of Lepidolite (or any Mica species) are not common on the market.