Lepidolite is a lithium-rich mica known for
its pink and lilac colors. The other colors
of it can be purple, rose-red,
violet-gray, yellowish, white, and colorless.
Lepidolite has a vitreous (glass-like) to
pearly luster. Since lepidolite is a mica
material, it is not defined as stone.
Lepidolite was first discovered in the 18th
century in Moravia, Czech Republic, where
it was called "lilalite" because of its
lavender color. In 1861 Robert Bunsen and
Gustav Kirchhoff extracted 150 kg (330 lb.)
of lepidolite and yielded a few grams of
rubidium salts for analysis, and therefore
discovered the new element rubidium.
However, in 1792 it was named "lepidolite"
by scientist Martin Klaproth, from the
Greek words LEPIDOS for "scale"
and LITHOS for "stone", referring
to its scaly appearance caused by flakes of
lithium. It is a common matrix material
to Tourmaline and Quartz, providing them
with a very aesthetic and glittery base. A
pink variety of the related mica mineral
muscovite can be identical in appearance to
lepidolite, and is many times incorrectly
labeled as lepidolite.
Lepidolite is an important source of lithium,
which is the lightest metal in the world.
Lithium is used in rechargeable batteries,
aircraft parts and domestic appliances, such
as toasters and microwave ovens. Lithium
compounds are also used in mobile phones,
air purifiers, high temperature lubricants
and mood-stabilizing drugs. Fine-grained
masses are sometimes polished into
paperweights, ashtrays, ornaments such as
eggs or spheres, or animal carvings, and
cabochons. As a rule, it is not faceted. It
can also be tumbled and drilled.
Some of the best examples of lepidolite come
from the gem-bearing pegmatites of Minas
Gerais, Brazil. Notable occurrences include
Russia, Canada, and Japan. Significant
lepidolite specimens come from Afghanistan;
three important African occurrences are
Madagascar, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique. In
Europe, very good lepidolite comes from
Sweden, Portugal, Germany, Finland, and the
Czech Republic. In the USA, the rich
lepidolite localities include the states of
California, Connecticut, Maine, South Dakota,
and Colorado.
