Lepidolite, Guimaraesite

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 plate is draped by thick, brilliant yellow lepidolite clusters. The lepidolite is wonderful for this find and the plate is a huge example. As a bonus, on the bottom side, you have a rare mineral species first described from this locality. Guimaraesite is a newly (2006) described complex calcium/zinc/magnesium/iron beryllium phosphate, which comes from an unnamed pegmatite working in this valley. Guimaraesite in sub-mm spherical crystal clusters abounds on this specimen. The whole piece weighs 7.5 pounds. This is pristine and even complete around the 3-dimensional edges, overhanging a bit of quartz matrix embedded underneath. Most of the larger clusters are translucent, and richly yellow.