mineral
Lapis Lazuli
(Na,Ca)8(Al,Si)12O24(S,SO4)(Cl)2
Hardness: 5 to 5.5 on the Mohs scale, Color: Deep blue with white calcite veins and brassy pyrite flecks, Luster: Vitreous to greasy, Crystal Structure: Isometric (rarely found as crystals, usually massive)
- Hardness
- 5 to 5
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Physical properties
Hardness: 5 to 5.5 on the Mohs scale, Color: Deep blue with white calcite veins and brassy pyrite flecks, Luster: Vitreous to greasy, Crystal Structure: Isometric (rarely found as crystals, usually massive)
Formation & geological history
Formed through contact metamorphism of limestone, typically in metamorphic aureoles around igneous intrusions. Geological age varies greatly by deposit.
Uses & applications
Used primarily in jewelry, ornamental carvings, mosaics, and historically ground into ultramarine pigment.
Geological facts
Lapis lazuli has been mined in the Badakhshan province of Afghanistan since the 7th millennium BC, and was heavily prized by the ancient Egyptians for funerary masks and jewelry.
Field identification & locations
Easily identified in the field by its distinct deep royal blue color combined with sparkling golden pyrite inclusions and white streaks. Major deposits are found in Afghanistan, Chile, Russia, and the USA.
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