Lepidolite on Albite var: Cleavelandite

Item Description

A lovely combo of featuring lavender-purple "Lepidolite" crystals on starkly contrasting snow-white bladed crystals of Albite var: Cleavelandite forming a showy specimen from the famous Pederneira Mine. For such a famous and highly productive pegmatite, :Lepidolite specimens of this pretty-color, size and quality are relatively rare on the market. I put "Lepidolite" in quotes because it's no longer considered a species, and right now it's classified as a series between Polylithionite and Trilithionite Mica.
From the collection of the recently deceased Alvaro Lucio, arguably the most well-known and accomplished mineral dealer and collector in Brazil. Alvaro graduated with a degree in civil engineering, mining and metallurgy from the Escola de Minas de Ouro Preto in 1949. He began his PhD in the United States and completed it at the Federal University of Minas Gerais. He worked as a professor of extractive metallurgy at UFMG, and also as a technical consultant for several companies in the sector. He was the author of several works, published in books and magazines around the world. He received several honors for his contribution to the development of metallurgy and the introduction of metallurgical physical chemistry in Brazil. His knowledge, solicitousness and enthusiasm will be greatly missed in the mineral world.