metamorphic
Lapis Lazuli (or Sodalite)
Lapis Lazuli (principally Lazurite: Na6Ca2(Al6Si6O24)S2)
Hardness: 5-5.5 Mohs. Color: Deep royal blue with mottled patterns, sometimes containing golden pyrite specks or white calcite veins. Luster: Vitreous to dull/greasy when polished. Structure: Aggregate rock (isometric lazurite crystals). Cleavage: Imperfect.
- Hardness
- 5-5
- Luster
- Vitreous to dull/greasy when polished
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Physical properties
Hardness: 5-5.5 Mohs. Color: Deep royal blue with mottled patterns, sometimes containing golden pyrite specks or white calcite veins. Luster: Vitreous to dull/greasy when polished. Structure: Aggregate rock (isometric lazurite crystals). Cleavage: Imperfect.
Formation & geological history
Formed through contact metamorphism of limestone and marble, usually in high-temperature environments created by magma intrusions.
Uses & applications
Extensively used in jewelry crafting as spherical beads, cabochons, carvings, and ornamental objects. Historically ground to create the pigment ultramarine.
Geological facts
Lapis lazuli has been mined for over 6,000 years in Badakhshan, Afghanistan. Ancient Egyptians used it for sacred amulets, scarabs, and burial masks, including King Tutankhamun's famous funeral mask.
Field identification & locations
Identify by its intense deep blue color, often accompanied by flecks of yellow pyrite (fool's gold). Sodalite is a common lookalike but usually lacks pyrite flecks and exhibits more white/grey veining.
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