Lapedolite Butterfly Wings

Lepidolite is a lithium-aluminum potassium mineral and one of the most commonly found members of the Mica family. This stone can be found crystallized in the form of masses, plates, aggregates, stacked sheets (also known as "books"), and tabular or prismatic crystals. The strong pink and purple color this stone emanates is derived from traces of Manganese impurities within the chemical makeup. Lepidolite is derived from the Greek word "'lepidos" for scale and "lithos" for stone. This crystal can be found worldwide with abundant veins spread throughout Brazil, Madagascar, Australia, Russia, Japan, Canada, the United Kingdom, Mexico, and the United States. Lepidolite is a very soft and brittle stone that can only be cut, shaped, or polished when it is found within a Quartz body. This rare occurrence yields exquisite jewelry pieces as well as high-class cabochons and is most notably found in the Minas Geras region of Brazil. In the middle ages, large sheets of Lepidolite were split from t