Home > American Localities – September 25 > MS0791 Lithiophilite

Lithiophilite - Sold


Lithiophilite is a lithium manganese phosphate, with the crystal structure of olivine. Brush and Dana (1878) named the mineral for its lithium content. This is an altered single crystal of lithiophilite. Certain solutions leach the lithium out of the crystal, leaving a vacancy, and oxidize the manganese from 2+ to 3+. This process creates a dull leached brown crystal, such as this example. From a well studied pegmatite; an excellent example. This specimen was part of the personal collection of Ralph Merrill, proprietor of the prolific mail order business Minerals Unlimited.