LUSCIOUS LEPIDOLITE
LOVELY lepidolite is an often overlooked and under-appreciated
mineral.
This sparkly mica material catches everyone’s eye with its glistening flash. Mined in many places around the globe, it looks different from each locale. Lepidolite is an ore of lithium and forms in granitic pegmatities —volcanic intrusions in the earth’s crust that often produce some of the world’s most beautiful crystals.
Relatively soft (2.5-4), it often has translucent or transparent crystallization.
The name lepidolite comes “lepidos” the Greek word for “scale”—denoting
the scaly flecks that make up the stone’s surface.
Most commonly lepidolite is lavender or purple, sometimes mixed with white quartz. But its most alluring association is with pink tourmaline, also known as rubellite. These gemmy pink crystals are offset by the lavender background of the lepidolite. One of the most famous localities in the world for lepidolite-especially with rubellite—is in Pala, near San Diego, CA.
A relatively new find from Mozambique is some of the flashiest silver/lavender
lepidolite we’ve ever seen.
Other areas of the world known for lepidolite include the USSR, Canada,
Zimbabwe, Brazil, Japan and Sweden.
But not all lepidolite is in the purple range. One favorite is a sparkly
olive green lepidolite from the Black Hills of South Dakota. New also from
this area is a “yellow” variation, which is really a very, very light pale
green. These are definitely worth seeing!
This last year at Tucson we also discovered a new deposit of BLUE lepidolite
from Australia. The sphere looks much like the earth, alternating blue
and white. Had the dealers not arranged to have the mineral analyzed,
it’s hard to tell it’s even lepidolite because it has very few of the traditional
flashy char-acteristics. But this will be a very rare mineral, and not
likely to be sphered again according to the dealers.
Metaphysically, lepidolite is associated with serenity, peace, hope, honesty, stress-reduction, relaxation and the alleviation of depression. Certainly just looking at this arresting mineral will elevate anyone’s mood!
Traveling To LA? Put Sphere's To You On Your Itinerary!
Like a tour? If you live in or are visiting Southern California, Spheres
To You will be happy to give you a tour of our showroom. We guarantee that
you’ll see many things that surprise and amaze you! Just please call or
email (sphere@iswest.com) for an appointment. (818) 991-5143.
Are You Hooked?
If you’ve recently become a sphere enthusiast, but would now like to know more about the mineral world, here are some ways to increase your knowledge.
Magazines
There are three wonderful magazines in the hobby that are a treasure
to have and to read. The color photography of minerals is magnificent--often
breath-taking -- and the content is always educational. The two that are
best for the relative newcomer are Rock & Gem, and Rocks and Minerals.
One of the best features of Rock & Gem, is that many of the articles
are written by senior consulting editor Bob Jones, the leading writer and
sage in the mineral hobby. Even oldtimers learn plenty when Bob expounds
on a subject—and his topics are invariably interesting. This magazine is
great for rockhounds who want to get out there with the pick and shovel.
Rocks and Minerals is a great overall magazine that especially covers
the news on what new minerals are emerging at individual shows.
The Mineralogical Record (called “MinRecord” by everyone in the rock
business) is a magazine for the more experienced enthusiast who is interested
in the mining and origin of minerals, mineral chemistry and the more esoteric
information—but Oh what photography!
Rock & Gem
(805) 644-3824
Rocks & Minerals
(513) 574-7142
Mineralogical Record
(520) 297 6709
Books
Two essential resource books on minerals are:
Simon & Schuster’s Guide to Rocks and Minerals and The Audubon
Society Field Guide to North American Rocks and Minerals. These are valuable
guides that cover crystallization, classification, appearance, physical
properties, origin, localities, usages, color, hardness, and related species
for thousands of minerals.
Visit Our Website
www.spherestoyou.com anytime
or our showroom in Southern California by appointment.
(818) 991-5143
An immensely readable volume is Minerals, An Illustrated Exploration
of the Dynamic World of Minerals and Their Properties by George W. Robinson,
with stunning photographs by Jeff Scovil, the mineral world’s leading photographer.
Many more illuminating mineral books can easily be found at the library
or at almost any mineral show.
For those seeking metaphysical enlightenment on their spheres or other rocks, an excellent source is Melody’s series: Love Is In the Earth: A Kaleidoscope of Crystals. Spheres To You carries these books, as well as a smaller paperback: Fifth Dimensional Healing: Crystal Wisdom by William “Lone Eagle” Darling.
Shows
One of the best ways to learn about minerals is to attend mineral shows.
Dealers are always delighted to talk about their specimens and to inaugurate
newcomers on the finer points of minerals.
A good way to start is with local shows put on by regional mineral clubs and county fairs. While you can seldom find high-end minerals at local shows, there are generally lots of interactive exhibits, plus inexpensive minerals and jewelry, much of it handcrafted.
If you are ready to graduate, there are several major shows around the country. Certainly Tucson (early-to-mid February), spread throughout the city in 30 locations, and Denver (mid-September) in five locations, are the two top shows in the U.S. America’s leading mineral show promoter, Marty Zinn, hosts several individual shows within each of these, but also puts on excellent shows in Costa Mesa, CA and Springfield, MA each year. They are definitely worth attending. You can find out about them by going to: www.mzexpos.com. The rock magazines also have a comprehensive list of annual shows.
But don’t go just intending to buy! Stop and look at the exhibits assembled
by some of the leading museums of the world and top mineral collectors.
The Tucson and Denver shows have amazing themed displays each year. At
Marty’s Springfield show, he features 15 cases from one leading mineral
collector each year—always a big hit!
Mineral Clubs
Be a joiner! Local mineral clubs are wonderful ways to advance your
knowledge. Clubs are always looking for new members and especially a way
to draw younger adults, teens and children to the hobby. The best way to
find a group local to you is a listing online at Bob’s Rock Shop: http://www.rockhounds.com/rockshop/clublist.html
Websites and Lists
Speaking of Bob’s Rock Shop…this is the first place any mineral enthusiast
should go to get oriented online. Bob Keller has created a veritable clearinghouse
of everything mineral! Bob’s Rock Shop gets 50,000 hits a month on the
Web! www.rockhounds.com
Also, there are several email group lists where enthusiasts spread their knowledge and information. One is The Rockhounds list at yahoo: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/rocksandfossils/ and other is specifically for spheremakers: spheres-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.
Mineral Shops
Your local mineral shop is a great source of information. But slating
your travel around a visit to shops elsewhere can be entertaining and educational.
Local shops reflect what is native to each local region and that’s a great
way to see what is reflective of that region’s mineralogy. Want to
know where they are located? Try this site :http://www. osomin.com/ shop1.htm
Museums
Some of the best mineral displays in the world include the Smithsonian,
Carnegie Museum, Houston Museum of Natural Science, Harvard University
and Los Angeles Museum of Natural History. Don’t miss them! Also consider
the Lazzadro Museum of Lapidary Art (Elmhurst IL) if you like carved and
polished art from minerals. And for sphere enthusiasts, see La Sierra University
in Riverside, CA.
DENVER REPORT
Here’s what we spotted on our most recent shopping trip:
*Translucent Dolomite from Canada
*Green Smithsonite from Mexico
*Rare Black Schungite from Russia
*Orange Petrified Fern Wood from Brazil
*Purple Ytrium Fluorite from Mexico
*Rich Blue Electric Lapis—We made a score!
*Gem Silica Chrysocolla—Creamy baby blue.
*Multicolored and chatoyant Maramamba Jasper from Australia
*Wine Red Magnesite, Brazil
*Brilliant Red/Orange
Russian Coral
*Green Banded Aragonite from China
*Marvelous Petrified Golden Oak with Ring Patterns
*Glassy black and green Ilvite from Russia
*Small Deep Purple Amethyst Geodes from Uruguay.
*Black Septarian Nodules from Peru.
*Aussie Night Black Breccia, fabulous breciated black jaspers.
THE SPHERICAL WORLD
Editor: Jackie Lapin
Published By:
Sphere’s To You
PO Box 1270
Agoura Hills, CA 9l376
Phone: (8l8) 991-5143
FAX: (8l8) 707-3543
E-mail address:
Spheres@iswest.com
.