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The Mineral Lepidocrocite
Also Called
Sacred Seven, Super Seven and Melody's Stone

Chemical Formula: FeO(OH), Hydrated Iron Oxide
Crystal System: orthorhombic
Color: dark red to reddish-brown.
Class: Oxides and Hydroxides
Group: Goethite
Luster: adamantine.
Transparency: opaque.
Hardness: 5-5.5
Specific Gravity: 3.3 to 4.3
Fracture: uneven to splintery
Cleavage: perfect in one direction.
Streak: brown, brownish yellow to orange yellow.

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS:
The color of Lepidocrocite can be yellow, brown, brownish
red, red to black. Sometimes the crystals may be tarnished
with iridescence colors and look much like hematite.

Lepidocrocite's crystal habits include prismatic and platy crystals. It's massive and aggregate forms include internally radiating or fibrous patterns and reniform types include botryoidal or stalactitic shapes.

Associated Minerals include aegirine, anglesite, arsenopyrite, beudantite, greigite, hemimorphite, microcline, mimetite, muscovite, natrolite, pyrite, pyrrhotite, sphalerite and tetranatrolite.

As a rule most Lepidocrocite mineral specimens are rather unimpressive and are relatively rare. But we have come across some Lepidocrocite in Quartz, from the Minas Geris District, Brazil, that is quite impressive. The Lepidocrocite is included in the quartz, which is generally a mixture of clear quartz, amethyst and smoke quartz.

The Brazilians call this material Kokoshanite. Our wholesaler was one of the first to bring this material to the US. At first he was selling this material as rutilated amethyst. This material contains black needle like crystals. These crystals often resemble hematite, which is quite often associated with rutile. Thus the assumption.

We now know that these needles are Lepidocrocite. They seem to be either tarnished with that iridescent hematite look or a very nice red. As I said before this is very impressive. So far we have only been able to acquire cut gemstones.

LOCALITIES:
many iron mines around the world. Especially nice specimens come from England, Mexico, the Lake Superior region in Michigan and of course these from the Minas Geris District, Brazil.

HISTORY & FACTS:
Named in 1813 from the Greek words. Lepidos, meaning scale and krokis, meaning fiber or thread. Because of it's scaly or feathery crystal habits.

Metaphysical:
This stone is said to contain all the energies of Amethyst, Clear Quartz, Smokey Quartz, Cacoxenite, Rutile, Goethite and Lepidocrocite combined. Which of corse leads to the name Super Seven. Found in Brazil in the Espirito do Santo region of Minas Gerais, which is known for its many varieties of included Quartz and other gemstone crystals.

Even though some of these minerals are microscopic and not visible within the stone, all of their properties are still within the crystal, as they are indigenous to the area where these crystals are mined. The stone is said to assist in awakening, psychic abilities, such as telepathy, clairaudience, clairvoyance, and clairsentience.

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