Spodumene

Altered spodumene in pegmatite outcrop, near Fern, Florence County, WI. (Photo by Steve Koehler.)

Formula: LiAlSi2O6 Monoclinic

Description:

Spodumene forms large white, pale green or, rarely, pink elongated crystals in complex granitic pegmatites. It is often associated with other lithium-rich minerals.

FLORENCE COUNTY: At least three pegmatites in sec. 22 T.39N. R.17E. contain significant white to very pale pink spodumene, usually in cleavable masses up to 2 cm. long. The spodumene is associated with quartz, K feldspar, cleavelandite, elbaite tourmaline, lepidolite, columbite-tantalite and other rare minerals. It also freqeuntly alters to a mixture of clays and micas (Koehler, Steve,1989).