metamorphic
Lapis Lazuli
Lapis Lazuli (Complex silicate mixture containing Lazurite: (Na,Ca)8(AlSiO4)6(S,Cl,SO4,OH)2)
Hardness: 5-5.5; Color: Deep blue with gold pyrite flecks and white calcite streaks; Luster: Dull to vitreous; Crystal Structure: Isometric (lazurite grains); Specific Gravity: 2.7-2.9
- Hardness
- 5-5
- Color
- Deep blue with gold pyrite flecks and white calcite streaks
- Luster
- Dull to vitreous
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Physical properties
Hardness: 5-5.5; Color: Deep blue with gold pyrite flecks and white calcite streaks; Luster: Dull to vitreous; Crystal Structure: Isometric (lazurite grains); Specific Gravity: 2.7-2.9
Formation & geological history
Formed via contact metamorphism, where heat and pressure from intruding magma transform limestone or marble into a mixture of lazurite, calcite, and pyrite.
Uses & applications
Used primarily for jewelry, ornamental carvings, pigment (ultramarine blue historically), and as an architectural decorative stone.
Geological facts
Lapis lazuli was ancient Egypt's most prized stone; it was used for the funeral mask of Tutankhamun and ground into pigment for Renaissance paintings like the Sistine Chapel.
Field identification & locations
Identify by its characteristic royal blue color, metallic gold-colored pyrite inclusions, and white calcite veining. It is distinctly different from Sodalite which lacks pyrite.
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