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Lepidocrocite

Lepidocrocite
  • Translations : Lepidocrocite, Lepidokrokit, Lepidokrokit, Lepidokrokit, Lepidocrocita, 纤铁矿, 鱗鉄鉱
  • Synonym : Esmeraldite, Hydrohematite, Pyrrhosiderite
  • Etymology : From Greek λεπίς "lepis " = scale, and κροκη "krokus " = fiber.
  • Discovery: 1813 by Johann Christoph Ullmann
  • Type localityEisenzeche en Allemagne.

The lepidocrocite forms in the iron rich grounds, by change of the other minerals. We find it only in millimetre-length crystals.

It can form beautiful structures in quartz which will be emphasized by the size.

To know more about the mineralogy of Lepidocrocite, see Mindat.org->

Gemological data

  • Chemical formula : γ Fe+3 O (OH).
  • Hardness (Mohs) : 5
  • Density : 3.85
  • Refractive index : nα = 1.940 nβ = 2.200 nγ = 2.510
  • Crystal system : Orthorhombic
  • Group : Oxydes

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