General Lepidolite Information
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Chemical Formula: |
K(Li,Al)3(Si,Al)4O10(F,OH)2 |
Composition: |
Molecular Weight = 388.30 gm |
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Potassium 10.07 % K 12.13 % K2O |
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Lithium 3.58 % Li 7.70 % Li2O |
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Aluminum 6.95 % Al 13.13 % Al2O3 |
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Silicon 28.93 % Si 61.89 % SiO2 |
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Hydrogen 0.26 % H 2.32 % H2O |
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Oxygen 45.32 % O |
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Fluorine 4.89 % F 4.89 % F |
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- %
F -2.06 % -O=F2 |
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______ ______ |
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100.00 % 100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE |
Empirical Formula: |
KLi2AlSi4O10F(OH) |
Environment: |
Lithia-bearing pegmatites. |
IMA Status: |
Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1792 |
Locality: |
Pala, San Diego Co., California, USA. Link to MinDat.org Location Data. |
Name Origin: |
From the Greek lepidion - "scale" and lithos - "stone." |
Name Pronunciation: |
Lepidolite + Pronunciation |
Synonym: |
Lithium Mica |
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Lepidolite Image |
Images:
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Images:
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Nanpingite Lepidolite
Comments: Hexagonal tabular crystals of pearly colourless lepidolite within massive white pollucite from unknown rare metal pegmatite. Nanpingite forms the outer zones of these lepidolite crystals (~30-150 µm).
Location: China.
Scale: Specimen size is 3.5x3x2 cm.
© Pavel M. Kartashov |
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Lepidolite Crystallography
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Axial Ratios: |
a:b:c =0.5808:1:2.2474 |
Cell Dimensions: |
a = 5.21, b = 8.97, c = 20.16, Z = 4; beta = 100.8° V = 925.46 Den(Calc)= 2.79 |
Crystal System: |
Monoclinic Space Group: C 2/m,Cm |
X Ray Diffraction: |
By Intensity(I/Io): 3.34(1), 4.99(0.75), 10(0.75), |
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Forms:
( 1 1 2)
( 2 2 1)
( 0 1 0)
( 0 0 1)
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Physical Properties of Lepidolite
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Cleavage: |
{001} Perfect |
Color: |
Colorless, Gray white, Lilac, Yellowish, White. |
Density: |
2.8 - 2.9, Average = 2.84 |
Diaphaneity: |
Translucent |
Fracture: |
Uneven - Flat surfaces (not cleavage) fractured in an uneven pattern. |
Habit: |
Foliated - Two dimensional platy forms. |
Habit: |
Massive - Uniformly indistinguishable crystals forming large masses. |
Habit: |
Platy - Sheet forms (e.g. micas). |
Hardness: |
2.5-3 - Finger Nail-Calcite |
Luminescence: |
Non-fluorescent. |
Luster: |
Vitreous - Pearly |
Streak: |
white |
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Optical Properties of Lepidolite
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Gladstone-Dale: |
CI meas= 0.084 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC) CI calc= 0.064 (Fair) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.1998,KPDmeas= 0.1956,KC= 0.2135 Ncalc = 1.6 - 1.62 |
Optical Data: |
Biaxial (-), a=1.525-1.548, b=1.551-1.58, g=1.554-1.586, bire=0.0290-0.0380, 2V(Calc)=36-46, 2V(Meas)=25-58. Dispersion weak, r > v. |
Pleochroism (x): |
colorless. |
Pleochroism (y): |
colorless. |
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Calculated Properties of Lepidolite
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Electron Density: |
Bulk Density (Electron Density)=2.76 gm/cc note: Specific Gravity of Lepidolite =2.79 gm/cc. |
Fermion Index: |
Fermion Index = 0.01 Boson Index = 0.99 |
Photoelectric: |
PELepidolite = 2.38 barns/electron U=PELepidolite x relectron= 6.56 barns/cc. |
Radioactivity: |
GRapi = 143.68 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Concentration of Lepidolite per GRapi unit = 0.70 (%)
Estimated Radioactivity from Lepidolite - barely detectable
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Lepidolite Classification
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Dana Class: |
71.02.02b.07 (71)Phyllosilicate Sheets of Six-Membered Rings |
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(71.02)with 2:1 Layers |
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(71.02.02b)Mica Group (Biotite subgroup) |
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71.02.02b.01 Phlogopite KMg3(Si3Al)O10(F,OH)2 C 2/m 2/m |
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71.02.02b.01a Tetraferriphlogopite! KMg3FeSi3O10(OH)2 2/m |
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71.02.02b.01b Shirozulite! KMn3(AlSi3)O10(OH,F)2 C 2/m 2/m |
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71.02.02b.01c Fluorophlogopite! KMg3(AlSi3)O10F2 C 2/m 2/m |
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71.02.02b.02 Biotite* K(Mg,Fe)3[AlSi3O10(OH,F)2 C 2/m 2/m |
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71.02.02b.03 Annite KFe3AlSi3O10(OH,F)2 C 2/m 2/m |
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71.02.02b.03a Fluorannite! KFe3AlSi3O10F2 C 2/m 2/m |
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71.02.02b.04 Tetraferriannite K(Fe,Mg)3(Fe,Al)Si3O10(OH)2 C 2/m 2/m |
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71.02.02b.05 Siderophyllite KFe2Al(Al2Si2)O10(F,OH)2 C 2/m 2/m |
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71.02.02b.05a Eastonite! KMg2Al[Al2Si2O10](OH)2 2/m |
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71.02.02b.06 Hendricksite K(Zn,Mg,Mn)3Si3AlO10(OH)2 C 2/m 2/m |
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71.02.02b.07 Lepidolite K(Li,Al)3(Si,Al)4O10(F,OH)2 C 2/m,Cm Mono |
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71.02.02b.08 Polylithionite KLi2AlSi4O10(F,OH)2 C 2/m 2/m |
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71.02.02b.08a Trilithionite! KLi1.5Al1.5AlSi3O10F2 C 2/m 2/m |
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71.02.02b.08b Sokolovaite! CsLi2AlSi4O10F2 C 2/m, C 2 or Cm Mono |
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71.02.02b.09 Tainiolite KLiMg2Si4O10F2 C 2/m 2/m |
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71.02.02b.10 Zinnwaldite KLiFeAl(AlSi3)O10(F,OH)2 C 2/m 2/m |
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71.02.02b.11 Norrishite K(Mn2Li)Si4O10(O)2 C 2/m 2/m |
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71.02.02b.12 Masutomilite K(Li,Al,Mn)3[(Si,Al)4O10](F,OH)2 C 2/m 2/m |
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71.02.02b.13 Aspidolite NaMg3AlSi3O10(OH)2 C 2/m 2/m |
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71.02.02b.14 Wonesite (Na,K).5(Mg,Fe,Al)3(Si,Al)4O10(OH,F)2 C 2/m 2/m |
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71.02.02b.15 Preiswerkite NaMg2Al3Si2O10(OH)2 C 2/m 2/m |
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71.02.02b.16 Ephesite NaLiAl2(Al2Si2)O10(OH)2 C 2/c 2/m |
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71.02.02b.18 Suhailite! (NH4)Fe3(Si3Al)O10(OH)2 C 2/m? 2/m |
Strunz Class: |
09.EC.20 09 - SILICATES (Germanates) |
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09.E - Phyllosilicates |
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09.EC -Phyllosilicates with mica sheets, composed of tetrahedral and octahedral nets |
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09.EC.20 Annite KFe3AlSi3O10(OH,F)2 C 2/m 2/m |
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09.EC.20 Biotite* K(Mg,Fe)3[AlSi3O10(OH,F)2 C 2/m 2/m |
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09.EC.20 Hendricksite K(Zn,Mg,Mn)3Si3AlO10(OH)2 C 2/m 2/m |
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09.EC.20 Ephesite NaLiAl2(Al2Si2)O10(OH)2 C 2/c 2/m |
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09.EC.20 Aspidolite NaMg3AlSi3O10(OH)2 C 2/m 2/m |
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09.EC.20 Lepidolite K(Li,Al)3(Si,Al)4O10(F,OH)2 C 2/m,Cm Mono |
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09.EC.20 Preiswerkite NaMg2Al3Si2O10(OH)2 C 2/m 2/m |
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09.EC.20 Masutomilite K(Li,Al,Mn)3[(Si,Al)4O10](F,OH)2 C 2/m 2/m |
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09.EC.20 Wonesite (Na,K).5(Mg,Fe,Al)3(Si,Al)4O10(OH,F)2 C 2/m 2/m |
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09.EC.20 Polylithionite KLi2AlSi4O10(F,OH)2 C 2/m 2/m |
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09.EC.20 Phlogopite KMg3(Si3Al)O10(F,OH)2 C 2/m 2/m |
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09.EC.20 Norrishite K(Mn2Li)Si4O10(O)2 C 2/m 2/m |
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09.EC.20 Siderophyllite KFe2Al(Al2Si2)O10(F,OH)2 C 2/m 2/m |
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09.EC.20 Fluorannite! KFe3AlSi3O10F2 C 2/m 2/m |
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09.EC.20 Shirokshinite! K(NaMg2)Si4O10F2 C 2/m 2/m |
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09.EC.20 Zinnwaldite KLiFeAl(AlSi3)O10(F,OH)2 C 2/m 2/m |
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09.EC.20 Eastonite! KMg2Al[Al2Si2O10](OH)2 2/m |
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09.EC.20 Tetraferriannite K(Fe,Mg)3(Fe,Al)Si3O10(OH)2 C 2/m 2/m |
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09.EC.20 Tetraferriphlogopite! KMg3FeSi3O10(OH)2 2/m |
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09.EC.20 Trilithionite! KLi1.5Al1.5AlSi3O10F2 C 2/m 2/m |
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09.EC.20 Sokolovaite! CsLi2AlSi4O10F2 C 2/m, C 2 or Cm Mono |
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09.EC.20 Shirozulite! KMn3(AlSi3)O10(OH,F)2 C 2/m 2/m |
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09.EC.20 Suhailite! (NH4)Fe3(Si3Al)O10(OH)2 C 2/m? 2/m |
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09.EC.20 Fluorophlogopite! KMg3(AlSi3)O10F2 C 2/m 2/m |
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Other Lepidolite Information
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See Also: |
Links to other databases for Lepidolite :
1 - Am. Min. Crystal Structure Database
2 - Amethyst Galleries' Mineral Gallery
3 - Athena
4 - CalTech Mineral Spectroscopy
5 - EUROmin Project
6 - Ecole des Mines de Paris
7 - GeoScienceWorld
8 - Glendale Community College
9 - Google Images
10 - Google Scholar
11 - Handbook of Mineralogy (MinSocAm)
12 - Handbook of Mineralogy (UofA)
13 - MinDAT
14 - Mineral and Gemstone Kingdom
15 - Mineralienatlas (Deutsch)
16 - Online Mineral Museum
17 - QUT Mineral Atlas
18 - Ruff.Info
19 - Scandinavian mineral gallery
20 - WWW-MINCRYST
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Print or Cut-and-Paste your Lepidolite Specimen Label here :
Lepidolite
K(Li,Al)3(Si,Al)4O10(F,OH)2
Dana No: 71.02.02b.07 Strunz No: 09.EC.20
Locality:
Notes:
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