mineral

Sodalite

Sodalite (Na8Al6Si6O24Cl2)

Hardness: 5.5 to 6 on the Mohs scale. Color: Royal blue, often with white veins or patches of calcite. Luster: Vitreous to greasy. Crystal system: Isometric. Cleavage: Poor. Specific gravity: 2.15 to 2.40.

Hardness: 5
Color: Royal blue, often with white veins or patches of calcite
Luster: Vitreous to greasy

Identified August 3, 2026More mineral →

Explore Sodalite in the encyclopedia →

Identify your own rocks.

Get a report just like this from any photo, free.

App Store Google Play

Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Forms primarily in igneous rocks such as nepheline syenites and trachytes, crystallizing from sodium-rich silica-poor magmas in pegmatites and volcanic cavities.

Uses & applications

Used extensively as an ornamental stone, in lapidary arts for making beads, cabochons, and small carvings, and as a collector's mineral.

Geological facts

Sodalite is a rich in sodium feldspathoid mineral. When exposed to short-wave ultraviolet light, some varieties of sodalite exhibit a bright orange-red fluorescence.

Field identification & locations

Easily identified by its characteristic rich royal blue color combined with white calcite veining. Commonly sourced from localities in Canada (Bancroft, Ontario), Greenland, India, Brazil, and the United States.