gemstone

Lapis Lazuli

Lapis Lazuli (Rock composed mainly of lazurite, calcite, and pyrite)

Mohs hardness: 5-5.5; Color: Deep blue with white calcite veins and golden pyrite flecks; Luster: Vitreous to greasy; Crystal structure: Isometric (individual minerals); Cleavage: Imperfect; Specific gravity: 2.7-2.9

Hardness: 5-5
Color: Deep blue with white calcite veins and golden pyrite flecks
Luster: Vitreous to greasy

Identified July 30, 2026More gemstone →

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Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Formed by contact metamorphism of limestone, typically associated with intrusive igneous activity, occurring in ancient metamorphic terrains.

Uses & applications

Used widely in jewelry, carvings, ornamental objects, mosaics, and historically ground into ultramarine pigment.

Geological facts

Lapis lazuli has been mined in the Badakhshan province of Afghanistan for over 6,000 years and was highly prized by ancient Egyptian pharaohs, who used it in funerary masks such as that of Tutankhamun.

Field identification & locations

Easily identified by its rich royal blue color combined with distinctive golden pyrite inclusions and white calcite mottling. Found primarily in Afghanistan, Chile, Russia, and the United States.

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