LEAD
LEAD Native lead is a fairly rare native element, recorded in just over 200 occurrences worldwide. It has also been recorded on the moon. It is not an ore due to its rarity. It belongs to the Copper Group, along with copper, gold, maldonite (Au2Bi), and silver. When it forms crystals, they are octahedrons, cubes, […]
LABRADORITE
LABRADORITE See “PLAGIOCLASE”
LUZONITE
LUZONITE Luzonite – Cu3AsS4 – is a rarer sulfide, occurring as a primary mineral in copper ores. It is part of the Stannite Group and contains 48.4% Cu. As impurity, may contain Sb. 1. Characteristics Crystal system: Tetragonal scalenohedral. Color: Deep pinkish-brown Habit: Massive, granular. Crystals very rare and small, equant (pseudo-octahedral) in habit. Cleavage: […]
LEPIDOMELANE
LEPIDOMELANE See “Biotite”
LIZARDITE
LIZARDITE See “Serpentine”
LIMONITE
LIMONITE See “Goethite”
LAPIS LAZULI
LAPIS LAZULI See “Haüyne”
LEUCITE
LEUCITE Leucite – K(AlSi2O6) – is a tectosilicate of the Feldspathoid Group, constituting an important alkaline rock forming mineral. Leucite itself is not mined, but alkaline rocks as a whole can be used in the glass and ceramics industries as fluxes, for example. Leucite crystallizes in the cubic system in volcanic rocks at high temperatures […]
LEPIDOLITE
LEPIDOLITE Lepidolite is a rare phyllosilicate, restricted to litiniferous granitic pegmatites. May constitute an ore of Li, Cs and Rb. The name “lepidolite” as a mineral was discredited in 1989 and today it is just a generic name used for lithiniferous micas that make up a Series composed of Polylithionite (KLi2Al(Si4O10)(F,OH)2) – Trilithionite – (K(Li1,5 […]
LAWSONITE
LAWSONITE Lawsonite – CaAl2(Si2O7)(OH)2.H2O – is a very rare sorosilicate, typical of very specific metamorphic rocks. It has no economic importance. It is classified in the Lawsonite Group, has an Al analogue (cortesognoite) and has a variety with Cr. 1. Characteristics Crystal system: Orthorhombic bipiramidal. Color: Colorless, white, greyish blue, pale blue. Habit: Prismatic to […]