gemstone

Lapis Lazuli

Complex silicate rock (primarily Lazurite: (Na,Ca)8(AlSiO4)6(SO4,S,Cl)2)

Hardness of 5 to 5.5 on the Mohs scale, deep vibrant blue color often speckled with golden pyrite inclusions and white calcite veins, vitreous to greasy luster, massive to granular crystal structure, poor cleavage, specific gravity of 2.7 to 2.9

Identified August 1, 2026More gemstone →

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Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Formed through contact metamorphism of limestone, typically associated with intrusive igneous activity, occurring in crystalline limestone. Most notably mined in the mountains of Badakhshan, Afghanistan for thousands of years.

Uses & applications

Widely used in jewelry, beads, ornamental carvings, inlay work, and historically ground into ultramarine pigment for master painters.

Geological facts

Lapis lazuli has been prized since ancient times, used in the funerary mask of King Tutankhamun and traded along the ancient routes from the mines of Afghanistan to Egypt, Mesopotamia, and the Indus Valley.

Field identification & locations

Easily identified by its rich, deep blue color combined with metallic brassy pyrite flecks and white calcite patches. Collectors look for high lazurite content with minimal white calcite and pleasing pyrite distribution.

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