Lepidolite, Elbaite

Unknown Owner

Help improve this recordNo owner is registered for this specimen yet. If it's yours or you know more about it, you can add the owner, provenance, publications and other details.

This is a pastel green tourmaline almost completely replaced (pseudomorphed) by brilliantly sparkling, lavender-colored, translucent lepidolite. Complete all around but for a shallow bit of damage to the back of the tourmaline termination. As the tourmaline dissolved away in pocket, the lepidolite crystals grew into the vacant space, preserving the overall form and symmetry. Usually, this replacement (seen most often from old Pederneira mine workings) results in ugly lepidolite with no luster, and more faithful symmetry of the tourmaline. This way of doing it creates a much more attractive result of a pseudomorph caught in action.