metamorphic
Lapis Lazuli
Lapis Lazuli (Rock containing Lazurite, Calcite, and Pyrite)
Hardness: 5 to 5.5 on the Mohs scale. Color: Deep blue with white calcite mottling and golden pyrite flecks. Luster: Vitreous to greasy. Crystal Structure: Isometric (for the main mineral component lazurite). Cleavage: None. Specific Gravity: 2.7 to 2.9.
- Hardness
- 5 to 5
- Luster
- Vitreous to greasy
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Physical properties
Hardness: 5 to 5.5 on the Mohs scale. Color: Deep blue with white calcite mottling and golden pyrite flecks. Luster: Vitreous to greasy. Crystal Structure: Isometric (for the main mineral component lazurite). Cleavage: None. Specific Gravity: 2.7 to 2.9.
Formation & geological history
Formed through contact metamorphism of limestone, typically in ancient geological settings. The chemical reactions between limestone and intrusive magma create the complex mineral aggregate.
Uses & applications
Used extensively in jewelry, carving, ornamental objects, and historically crushed to make ultramarine pigment.
Geological facts
Lapis lazuli has been mined in the Badakhshan province of Afghanistan for over 6,500 years and was used extensively in ancient Egyptian funerary jewelry, including the death mask of King Tutankhamun.
Field identification & locations
Easily identified by its rich royal blue coloration combined with distinctive brassy pyrite flecks and white calcite veins. Major deposits are found in Afghanistan, Chile, Russia, and the United States.
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