Lithiophorite (RARE Brazil) Kay Robertson Coll.

Item Description

Lithiophorite is an uncommon Al-Li-Mn oxide hydroxide. It is EXTREMELY RARE from the four Minas Gerais localities listed by MINDAT (no photos). This is an impressive and sculptural miniature mounded mass of moderately lustrous gray sub-metallic bubbly botryoids. This is a characteristic form for the rare species. Ex Kay Robertson Collection # 11512 and acquired from Kristalle at the 1985 Tucson Show. Her label says Itatiaia (not listed by MINDAT), but the piece is probably from the Sapucaia mine (both are in the Conselheiro Pena Pegmatite District). Kay is a prominent California collector, who specialized in European classics (see the article in the March-April, 2007 Mineralogical Record).