Petalite

Petalite, a mineral species consisting of lithium aluminium silicate, LiAI(S1205)2. The monoclinic crystals approach spodumene in form, which is also a lithium aluminium silicate with the formula LiA1(S103)2. There is a perfect cleavage parallel to the basal plane, and the mineral usually occurs in platy cleavage masses; on this account it was named, from Gr. 7rTa?ov (a leaf). The hardness is 62 and the specific gravity 2.4 (that of spodumene being 3.16). The mineral is colourless or occasionally reddish, varies from transparent to translucent, and has a vitreous lustre. It was discovered in i Soo as cleavage masses in an iron mine on the island of Uto in the Stockholm archipelago, where it is associated with lepidolite, tourmaline (rubellite and indicolite) and spodumene. A variety known as "castor" is found as transparent glassy crystals associated with pollux in cavities in the granite of Elba. (L. J. S.)