rock
Lapis Lazuli
Lapis Lazuli (Rock containing lazurite, calcite, and pyrite)
Hardness: 5 to 5.5 on the Mohs scale. Color: Deep blue, royal blue, with white calcite veins and golden pyrite flecks. Luster: Vitreous to greasy. Crystal structure: Isometric (individual minerals). Cleavage: None. Specific gravity: 2.7 to 2.9.
- Hardness
- 5 to 5
- Luster
- Vitreous to greasy
Identified More rock →
Explore Lapis Lazuli in the encyclopedia →Identify your own rocks.
Get a report just like this from any photo, free.
Physical properties
Hardness: 5 to 5.5 on the Mohs scale. Color: Deep blue, royal blue, with white calcite veins and golden pyrite flecks. Luster: Vitreous to greasy. Crystal structure: Isometric (individual minerals). Cleavage: None. Specific gravity: 2.7 to 2.9.
Formation & geological history
Formed through contact metamorphism of limestone, typically associated with intrusive igneous activity. Found mainly in the Kokcha River valley in Badakhshan, Afghanistan, as well as Chile, Russia, and the USA.
Uses & applications
Used extensively in jewelry, carvings, mosaics, inlay work, and historically ground into ultramarine pigment for master painters.
Geological facts
Lapis lazuli has been mined for over 6,500 years and was highly prized by ancient civilizations including the Egyptians, who used it in King Tutankhamun's burial mask.
Field identification & locations
Easily identified by its characteristic deep blue color mixed with metallic gold pyrite specks and white calcite patches. Common locations include Afghanistan, Chile, and Russia.
More like this
Other rock specimens
Not a rock
Not a rock
Not a rock
Not a rock
Not a rock
Not a rock
Not a rock
Not a rock
Not a rock
Wishing Stone (Quartz-veined Metamorphic/Sedimentary Rock)
Quartz Vein in Greywacke/Slate (SiO2 in host rock)
metamorphic
Nephrite Jade
Nephrite
Mineral/Rock
Sandstone Pebble with Mineral Encrustation
Quartz Sandstone with Calcite/Halite Crust
sedimentary