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Lepidochrocite  (inclusion in Quartz)
Current inventory:  0 gems
 

Chemistry:  Fe³⁺O(OH)   (in Quartz - SiO₂)

Discovered in 1813;   IMA status: Valid (pre-IMA; Grandfathered).
The name Lepidocrocite is from the Greek words lipis meaning scale and krokis meaning fiber because of the scaley and fibrous nature of the crystals.

Classification

Mineral Classification:

Oxides

Strunz 8th Ed. ID:

4/F.06-40

Nickel-Strunz 10th Ed. ID:

9.FE.15

4 : OXIDES (Hydroxides, V[5,6] vanadates, arsenites, antimonites, bismuthites, sulfites, selenites, tellurites, iodates)
F : Hydroxides (without V or U)
E : Hydroxides with OH, without H₂O; sheets of edge-sharing octahedra

Related to:

Diaspore - Goethite - Faitknechite Series. Trimorphous with Feroxyhyte and Goethite.

Crystal Data

Crystallography:

Orthorhombic - Dipyramidal

Crystal Habit:

Crystals typically flattened on [010], isolated, to 2 mm, or aggregated into plumose or rosettelike groups; bladed, micaceous, fibrous, massive.

Twinning:

None

Physical Properties

Cleavage:

[010] Perfect, [100] less Perfect, [001] Good

Fracture:

Irregular/Uneven

Tenacity:

Fibrous

Hardness (Mohs):

5.0

Density:

4.05 - 4.13 (g/cm³)

Luminescence:

None

Radioactivity:

Not Radioactive

Optical Properties

Color:

Red, Yellowish Brown, Blackish Brown

Transparency:

Opaque

Luster:

Sub-Metallic

Refractive Index:

1.94 - 2.51  Biaxial ( + )

Birefringence:

0.570

Dispersion:

Relatively weak

Pleochroism:

Strong; X = colorless to yellow; Y = orange, yellow, dark red-orange; Z = orange, yellow, darker red-orange.

Anisotrophism:

Strong; color in reflected light: grayish white

Occurances

Geological Setting:

A weathering or oxidation product of other iron-bearing minerals, in soils and mineral deposits; a precipitate from ground water. In marine manganese nodules.

Common Associations:

Goethite, Pyrite

Common Impurities:

Mn

Type Locality:

Zlaté Hory (Zuckmantel), Olomouc Region, Moravia (Mähren; Maehren), Czech Republic

Year Discovered:

1813

View mineral photos:

Lepidochrosite Mineral Photos and Locations

More Information

Mindat.org
Webmineral.com

Lepidocrocite is rarely a faceted gem on its own but more commonly an attractive inclusion in Quartz.  Lepidocrocite is rarely faceted because it is usually very small, opaque and difficult to facet due to its perfect cleavage and variable hardness within the crystals.  Facetable Lepidocrocite is known to exist from Brazil, but is exceedingly rare.  Color ranges from deep red to red-brown to purple.

The name Lepidocrocite is from the Greek words lipis meaning scale and krokis meaning fiber because of the scaley and fibrous nature of the crystals.
 

  
Lepidochrocite gems for sale:

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