A rare mineral, occurring crystallized and in cleavable masses, usually white, or nearly so, in color. It is a silicate of aluminia and lithia.

Petalite is primarily a gemstone for collectors. It is often colorless but there are also examples of pink and yellow varieties. On the Mohs’ scale of hardness, petalite is 6-6.5. It has a vitreous luster and sources include Western Australia, Brazil (Minas Gerais), Italy (Elba), Namibia, Sweden, Zimbabwe, and the United States. (See Petalite Facts.) (Note: Sources listed in order of primary and secondary deposits.)

a rare mineral, a silicate of aluminum and lithiium, occurring in pegmatites in white masses, often tinged with black, gray, red, or green. [AHDOS