description Lazurite Overview
Lazurite is a blue mineral in the sodalite group and one of the principal components of lapis lazuli, the blue ornamental stone used in jewelry, carvings, and historical pigments. Its composition is a complex sodium calcium aluminosilicate containing sulfur, which contributes to its characteristic color. Lazurite usually occurs as granular masses rather than well-formed individual crystals and is found in metamorphic rocks.
help Lazurite FAQ
Is lazurite the same thing as lapis lazuli?
No. Lazurite is a mineral in the sodalite group, while lapis lazuli is a rock made mainly of blue sodalite-group minerals with variable calcite and often pyrite.
What gives lazurite its deep blue color?
Sulfur-bearing species in its crystal structure are central to lazurite's color, and greater sulfur content can produce darker blue shades. Its sodalite-group structure can also contain sulfate, chloride, and hydroxyl components.
Where is lazurite-bearing lapis lazuli found?
Important deposits include Sar-e-Sang in Badakhshan, Afghanistan, and the Coquimbo region of Chile. These deposits produce lapis lazuli, a rock in which lazurite or related blue sodalite-group minerals occur with calcite and pyrite.
How hard is lazurite for jewelry?
Mindat lists lazurite at about 5 to 5.5 on the Mohs scale, below quartz at 7 and far below sapphire. Lapis jewelry can be worn, but it may scratch or chip, especially when the stone is rich in softer calcite.
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