RocksdayLapis Lazuli vs Sodalite
How to tell them apart
A deep-blue rock made mostly of the mineral lazurite, flecked with golden pyrite and white calcite.
Photo: Hannes Grobe, CC BY-SA 2.5
A royal-blue feldspathoid mineral, usually massive with white veins, and a popular tumbled stone.
Photo: Ra'ike (see also: de:Benutzer:Ra'ike), CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick tests
- Acid (vinegar or dilute HCl): Lapis Lazuli fizzes weakly, or only when powdered or warmed; Sodalite doesn't.
- Texture: Lapis Lazuli is a rock — a mix of grains or minerals; Sodalite is a single mineral.
Key differences
- Sodalite is a lighter blue with white veins and no pyrite.
- Lapis is a deeper blue with gold pyrite flecks.
Side by side
| Property | Lapis Lazuli | Sodalite |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Metamorphic rock | Mineral |
| Mohs hardness | 5–5.5 | 5.5–6 |
| Luster | Dull to vitreous | Vitreous to greasy |
| Streak | — | White |
| Colors | Blue, Gold, White | Blue, White |
| Crystal system / structure | Granular, massive | Cubic |
| Specific gravity | 2.7–2.9 | 2.27–2.33 |
| Formula | — | Na₈(Al₆Si₆O₂₄)Cl₂ |
| Found in | Sar-e-Sang, Afghanistan; Coquimbo, Chile | Bancroft, Ontario; Bahia, Brazil |
Properties that are the same for both are grayed out.
How to identify lapis lazuli
- Intense ultramarine blue.
- Glittering gold pyrite flecks.
- White patches of calcite.
- Light blue streak.
Structure: Granular, massive
Full Lapis Lazuli guide →How to identify sodalite
- Royal blue with white veins or patches.
- Glows orange under longwave UV light.
- Hardness about 6.
- Light for a blue stone.
Crystal system: Cubic
Full Sodalite guide →More comparisons
Could you tell them apart from a blurry close-up?
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