Lepidolite (Lithium Mica)
- Species
- Lepidolite
- Crystal system
- Monoclinic
- Hardness (Mohs)
- 2.5–4
- Chemistry
- K(Li,Al)₃(Si,Al)₄O₁₀(F,OH)₂
- Dimensions
- 26 × 18 × 10 cm (10.2 × 7.1 × 3.9 in)
- Weight
- 3.4 kg (7.5 lb)
- Grade
- Museum Grade
- Treatment
- 100% Natural · Untreated · No Resin Injection
The purple is anything but uniform: deep grape, rose-violet, and silver-lilac trade places as the light angle shifts, each scale's cleavage face flashing a strong pearly reflection. Grey-white translucent quartz masses provide visual rest; smaller honey-toned transparent zones add a warm accent among the cool violets.
Lepidolite is the mica that carries lithium — and with it, a purple no other mica has. On this full, rounded specimen, thousands of tiny lepidolite scales grew layer over layer until the entire surface became a field of violet sequins, broken only by islands of milky quartz.
Why collectors want this
Turn a light across it and the piece ignites — thousands of cleavage faces reflecting in sequence, like sequin embroidery in mineral form. The purple-and-silver metallic shimmer is instantly recognizable across a room, and rare in the mineral kingdom at this coverage and scale.
Living with it
A shelf or console where a lamp can be moved or angled across it works best — the cleavage faces need a travelling light to ignite, so avoid fixed, flat overhead lighting. Handle by the quartz sections where possible; the scaled mica surface marks more easily than it looks.
Packed by value-graded protection and shipped tracked & insured worldwide (DHL / FedEx / UPS), dispatched within 3–7 business days.
1 in stock