Lepidolite
Lepidolite occurs naturally in a wide range of colors. It can be pale pink, a purplish or reddish-pink, deep lilac or dark purple, light gray, and a pretty salmon, or even a bright yellow—some with inclusions ranging from pale to bright yellow to dark green Lepidolite Crystals. The natural composition of this lustrous stone is interesting. Lepidolite is not actually a stone, but a type of Mica, lithium mica to be exact. Mica is from the Latin Mico, meaning “to glimmer.” And, yes, it is the same mica that is ground into a fine powder and used to create colorful, sparkly eye shadows. It is the flakes of lithium that give Lepidolite its faceted and unusual appearance.They are the hallmark of Lepidolite, and how it got its name. Lepidos is Greek for scale. The combination of the sparkling lithium and the lustrous flakes create a beautiful gemstone. Some Lepidolite, especially the stones with a pale salmon-pink color, are difficult to distinguish from Muscovite--which is another form of Mica. Sources of Lepidolite include Brazil, Russia, the USA, Canada, Sweden, Germany, Finland, the Czech Republic, Japan, Zimbabwe and Madagascar. Lepidolite with abundant yellow, are usually sourced from Brazil – which is known for its Yellow Lepidolite (which is tradenamed Golden Star Muscovite).
