mineral

Sodalite

Sodium Aluminum Silicate Chloride (Na8(Al6Si6O24)Cl2)

Hardness: 5.5-6 (Mohs scale); Color: Royal blue to violet with white streaks (calcite); Luster: Vitreous to greasy; Crystal structure: Cubic; Cleavage: Poor; Specific gravity: 2.27-2.33

Hardness: 5
Color: Royal blue to violet with white streaks (calcite)
Luster: Vitreous to greasy

Identified March 28, 2026More mineral →

Identify your own rocks.

Get a report just like this from any photo, free.

App Store Google Play

Physical properties

Hardness: 5.5-6 (Mohs scale); Color: Royal blue to violet with white streaks (calcite); Luster: Vitreous to greasy; Crystal structure: Cubic; Cleavage: Poor; Specific gravity: 2.27-2.33

Formation & geological history

Formed in silica-poor igneous rocks (nepheline syenites and pegmatites) and occasionally in contact metamorphic rocks. Generally associated with the late-stage crystallization of alkaline magmas.

Uses & applications

Primarily used as an ornamental gemstone for jewelry, beads, and carvings. Also used in industrial applications for architectural stone veneers and occasionally as a source of sodium in metallurgy.

Geological facts

Sodalite often fluoresces a bright orange or yellow under long-wave ultraviolet light. It was first discovered in Greenland in 1811 but became popular in 1891 after vast deposits were found in Ontario, Canada, earning it the nickname 'Princess Blue' after Princess Margaret of England.

Field identification & locations

Identify in the field by its distinct deep blue color, white calcite inclusions, and lack of gold-colored pyrite (which distinguishes it from Lapis Lazuli). Common locations include Bancroft (Canada), Brazil, Namibia, and Greenland.

Other mineral specimens

See all

Sandstone (with potential mineral staining/concretions)

Arenite (SiO2 based)

sedimentary

Epidote

Epidote | Ca2(Al2,Fe3+)(SiO4)(Si2O7)O(OH)

metamorphic

Nephrite Jade

Nephrite

Mineral/Rock

Banded Gneiss (River Rock/Pebble)

Gneiss (specifically a banded variety often found as a river rock)

Metamorphic Rock

Green Apatite on Albite

Fluorapatite [Ca5(PO4)3F] on Albite [Na(AlSi3O8)]

mineral

Epidote

Epidote - Ca2(Al2,Fe3+)3(SiO4)3(OH)

mineral