Lazurite

The deep blue mineral that gives lapis lazuli its color. Distinct crystals are rare.

Lazurite specimen — Photo: Didier Descouens, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

How to identify lazurite

Intense ultramarine blue.
Usually massive grains in white marble.
Bright blue streak.

Often confused with

Sodalite
Sodalite is a lighter royal blue with white veins.
Compare side by side
Lapis Lazuli
Lapis is the rock: lazurite plus calcite and pyrite.
Compare side by side

Where it's found

Sar-e-Sang, Afghanistan
Lake Baikal, Russia
Coquimbo, Chile

Uses

The source of natural ultramarine pigment.

Rock tumbling

Great for tumbling.

Did you know?

Well-formed lazurite crystals from Afghanistan are among the most prized blue specimens.

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