mineral

Lepidolite

K(Li,Al)3(Si,Al)4O10(F,OH)2

Hardness: 2.5-4 on the Mohs scale, Color: Pink, purple, or grayish-white, Luster: Pearly to vitreous, Crystal Structure: Monoclinic, Cleavage: Perfect basal, Specific Gravity: 2.8-2.9

Hardness: 2

Identified July 28, 2026More mineral →

Explore Lepidolite in the encyclopedia →

Identify your own rocks.

Get a report just like this from any photo, free.

App Store Google Play

Physical properties

Hardness: 2.5-4 on the Mohs scale, Color: Pink, purple, or grayish-white, Luster: Pearly to vitreous, Crystal Structure: Monoclinic, Cleavage: Perfect basal, Specific Gravity: 2.8-2.9

Formation & geological history

Forms in granite pegmatites and high-temperature quartz veins, often associated with other lithium-bearing minerals like spodumene and tourmaline.

Uses & applications

Primary ore of lithium, used in glass and ceramic manufacturing, and popular as a collector's mineral or in ornamental carvings.

Geological facts

Lepidolite is rich in lithium and is often called the 'lithium mica'. It frequently occurs in intimate intergrowths with other micas.

Field identification & locations

Easily identifiable by its characteristic lilac-pink or purple color and micaceous flake structure. Found worldwide, notably in Brazil, the USA, Madagascar, and Russia.