Lovely Lepidolite: Crystal Meaning and Information
What exactly is Lepidolite? What is the crystal meaning of Lepidolite, and what other exciting information is there to learn about this stone?
Read on to find out more about why you should add a piece of Lepidolite to your crystal collection.
What Does Lepidolite Look Like?
Lepidolite, also known historically as Lilalite, is a gorgeous purple stone which displays a magnificent spectrum of purple hues ranging from pale lilacs to marvellous mauves, vibrant violets, and rich plums.
Sometimes, Lepidolite displays pink-peach hues, often in flowery, cloud-like patterns, adding to the feminine beauty of the stone.
Lepidolite also displays bright sparkling flecks which twinkle like stars and glow like glitter, owing to the Lepidolite Mica composition of the stone.
High-quality Lepidolite specimens are sometimes referred to as Gem Lepidolite, as described below.
What Does Gem Lepidolite Look Like?
Gem Lepidolite is a high-quality form of Lepidolite which is composed of very thin, fine layers of Mica.
Lepidolite gems display gorgeous, vivid plum colours with shimmering white and wine-red flash.
This beautiful purple gemstone displays incredibly translucency under torchlight, showing off its delightful range of purple-red hues.
Lepidolite Gemstones are rare to find considering Lepidolite is a very soft, flaky stone that is notoriously difficult to polish.
For these reasons, many gemologists consider Gem Lepidolite to be a unique purple semi-precious stone.
Lepidolite Shapes
The soft, flaky nature of Lepidolite means that it can be a difficult stone to cut and polish into polished Lepidolite stones, however at Madagascan Direct, we have a variety of Lepidolite shapes available for you to purchase.
Each shape of Lepidolite has specific properties that makes them uniquely special: shapes include Lepidolite Palm Stones/ Lepidolite Pebbles, Lepidolite Massage Wands, Lepidolite Towers and Lepidolite Points, Lepidolite Hearts, Lepidolite Spheres, Lepidolite Pyramids, Lepidolite Eggs, and even Lepidolite Bowls.
What Is Lepidolite Made Of?
Lepidolite is a rare lilac-coloured mineral belonging to the mica family, and is thus sometimes referred to as Lepidolite Mica.
Lepidolite Mica is a form of Mica which has high levels of Lithium impurities within its crystal matrix.
Mica is responsible for the glittering, twinkling flecks Lepidolite often displays: although mica's name is thought to mainly derive from the Latin word "mica", meaning "to crumb" (probably in reference to the flaky nature of the stone), the name was also likely to have been inspired by the Latin word "micare", meaning "to glitter/ flash/ glow/ twinkle" etc.
This purple mineral is famed for being rich in lithium, but it is manganese inclusions which cause the pink, purple, and red hues characteristic of Lepidolite.
The purple stone can display a range of colours, from pale lilacs and pinks to deep plums.
Lepidolite In Other Crystals
Flakes of Lepidolite are said to be sometimes responsible for the colours of pink, peach and red Aventurine.
Lepidolite is often found included in large Quartz segments, and flakes of this mineral are said to be the root of the stunning shade of Pink Aventurine.
Where Does Lepidolite Come From?
Lepidolite, as an igneous mineral, can be found in pegmatites around the world, including in Brazil and the USA.
Our polished Lepidolite is sourced from Madagascar.
Gem Lepidolite comes from Brazil.
Lepidolite History
This stunning purple stone was originally discovered in 1861, where it was named 'Lilalite' because of its lovely lilac and lavender colouring.
However, it was later renamed. Its new name "Lepidolite" was derived from the Greek word "lepidos" (meaning scales) because of its flakes of Lithium which resembled scales.
The word "scale" is also apt when referring to Lepidolite, as this stone is believed to help balance the scale of emotions we feel on a daily basis.
What Is Lepidolite Used For?
Lepidolite was commonly used an important source of Lithium in the past, however it is now only a minor ore for this metal.
It is important to be able to source Lithium, as it is used for many essential purposes such as in mood stabilising medication and various equipment and appliances including batteries, mobile phones, and toasters.
Forms of mica such as Lepidolite were historically crushed to create colourful eyeshadows.
Finally, Lepidolite can be used as a gemstone, but it is difficult to cut and polish it due to its softness and flaky surface.
Lepidolite Crystal Healing Properties
This purple stone is one of emotional balance and equilibrium.
Due to its lithium inclusions, Lepidolite is believed to have strong mood stabilising properties, which make it useful for soothing strong emotions and reducing mood swings.
Known as a stone of peace, Lepidolite can be used to bring a sense of calm to its user, and is often used by crystal healers to help improve a client's sleep quality by reducing nightmares.
Lepidolite Chakras
This purple gem works well with all chakras due to its balancing, stabilising properties.
However, it is most associated with three chakras, as follows:
- When used with the Third Eye Chakra, Lepidolite can help improve one's intuition and understanding of their emotions.
- When used with the Heart Chakra, this purple stone can help balance one's feelings when in particularly emotional situations, and cleanse negative energies and emotions from the body.
- When used with the Crown Chakra, Lepidolite can help to align all the chakras and enable whole body balance, as well as improve spiritual awareness by providing a feeling of deep serenity.
How Hard Is Lepidolite?
Measuring 2.5 to 3.5 on the Mohs scale, this mineral is very soft and fragile.
Great care should be taken not to damage the crystal surface by handling the stone gently and keeping it away from other stones.
Lepidolite Collections
Lepidolite is an excellent mineral for collectors due to its relative rarity and stunning aesthetics, and this healing stone is a must-have crystal healing tool for crystal healers.
Gem Lepidolite is a particularly stunning purple gemstone that would make a brilliant gift for any gemstone collector.
Buy Lepidolite online now at Madagascan Direct.