Lepidolite with Quartz

Unknown Owner

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It is not often that we so proudly promote a specimen of this species, as Lepidolite is normally what good things grow ON and not the actual great specimen in and of itself! A large, lavender, curved book of Lepidolite is attached to a small piece of matrix pegmatite Quartz from the Brown Derby mine in Colorado. The vivid lavender color and vitreous to slightly pearly luster of this lithium mica species makes for an attractive piece, and true display pieces of Lepidolite are not that common. The roughly hexagonal outline of Lepidolite at the center of the specimen may or may not be true crystal faces, yet appears to be a part of a larger singular "book". Gray-white, coarsely granular Quartz serves as the base for the specimen. The back side is also rounded and it looks as though this piece was part of a much larger Lepidolite crystal or book. Lepidolite crystals at numerous localities that display this curving habit have been attributed to minor amounts of the large Cs atom present in the crystal structure that causes the crystals to curve. There is some very minor bruising only. An old specimen, and highly surprising! Formerly from the Kay Robertson collection as #12272 and a previous collection given the #A6529 painted on back. A nice display Lepidolite from an unusual pegmatite locality.