mineral
Lapis Lazuli
Complex silicate rock (principally Lazurite, Calcite, and Pyrite)
Hardness of 5 to 5.5 on the Mohs scale, deep blue color with white calcite mottling and golden pyrite inclusions, vitreous to greasy luster, massive crystal structure with no distinct cleavage, specific gravity of 2.7 to 2.9
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Physical properties
Hardness of 5 to 5.5 on the Mohs scale, deep blue color with white calcite mottling and golden pyrite inclusions, vitreous to greasy luster, massive crystal structure with no distinct cleavage, specific gravity of 2.7 to 2.9
Formation & geological history
Formed through contact metamorphism of limestone, typically associated with intrusive igneous activity. Geological age varies by deposit, ranging from Precambrian to Cenozoic.
Uses & applications
Used in jewelry making, ornamental carvings, decorative objects, and historically ground into ultramarine pigment for fine art.
Geological facts
Lapis lazuli has been mined in the Badakhshan province of Afghanistan for over 6,000 years and was used extensively in ancient Egyptian funerary ornaments, most famously in the burial mask of Tutankhamun.
Field identification & locations
Easily identified by its rich royal blue coloration combined with characteristic brassy flecks of pyrite and white calcite veins. Major deposits are found in Afghanistan, Chile, Russia, and the United States.
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