Lepidolite from Little Three Mine, California, USA - image 1
Lepidolite from Little Three Mine, California, USA - image 2

Lepidolite from Little Three Mine, California, USA

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Nice cluster of lustrous purple lepidolite crystals. Complete all around with little attached matrix. In good condition. From the 1970s.The Little Three Mine, located near Ramona in San Diego County, California, has a history dating back to its discovery in 1902 by prospectors searching the local terrain. Historically, the property became famous during the 20th century as a premier producer of gem-quality minerals, particularly vibrant orange spessartine garnet and blue topaz. Geologically, the deposit is situated within the southern California pegmatite belt, hosted in complex granitic and miarolitic pegmatite dikes that intruded older regional metamorphic and plutonic rocks. These zoned pegmatite systems formed through fractional crystallization and late-stage hydrothermal fluid activity, creating cavities that yielded diverse crystallized specimens including tourmaline, quartz, and feldspar.

Product details

SpeciesLepidolite
SizeMiniature
Dimensions4.5 x 4.0 x 3.5 cm
Added on07/29/2026
Current owner
Unknown Owner
Acquired
Jul 2026
Previous owners
DateCollectorAcquisition price
—Weinrich MineralsNot disclosed

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Lepidolite
Mineral guide
Learn about Lepidolite
lilac-purple mica from granitic pegmatites, forming rosettes and ball clusters with silky luster; prized for color, form, and collecting appeal.
Lepidolite
Regional guide
Lepidolite from Little Three Mine
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Locality guide
Little Three Mine
A collector's guide to Little Three Mine, USA: its geology, mining history and notable minerals, illustrated with the 332 specimens documented from this locality on EarthWonders.