Lapis Lazuli / Lazurite

Lapis Lazuli / Lazurite
Lapis Lazuli / Lazurite

Lapis Lazuli usually occurs in crystalline marble as a result of contact metamorphism. The finest lapis comes from the Badakhshan area in northern Afghanistan. This source may be the world's oldest, continually worked, mines for lapis Lazuli. The same mines operating today supplied lapis to the pharaohs and ancient Sumerians. Using stones from this source, the artisans of the Indus Valley Civilization made beautiful carvings and merchants traded them in distant lands. Today, as it was more than 5000 years ago, the best stones come from the steep Hindu Kush Mountains in the north-eastern Afghanistan. The pieces of blue rock, which must be blasted from the rugged terrain in the mountains, are brought down into the valley in the summer months by mules.

Lapis lazuli is an opaque rock that mainly consists of Diopside and Lazurite. It formed millions of years ago during the metamorphosis of lime to marble. In its naturally found condition, Lapis Lazuli has matted finish which has a deep, dark blue color, often with golden inclusions and whitish marble veins. The small inclusions with their golden shimmer, which give the stone the appearance of a starry sky, are not made of gold, but are actually pyrite. The blue color comes from the sulfur content of the Lazurite and may range from midnight blue to a light blue. The most desirable Lapis Lazuli is a deep, dark blue with a light dusting of Pyrite…this comes primarily from Afghanistan.

In addition to the Afghan deposits, lapis has been found in the Andes near Ovalle, Chile, where it is usually a lighter blue rather than a deep blue. Other lesser quality sources are the Lake Baikal region of Russia, Siberia, Angola, Burma, Pakistan, United States (California and Colorado), Canada, and India.

For more information visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lapis_lazuli

Lapis Lazuli Polished Freeform from Afghanistan
Lapis Lazuli Polished Freeform from Afghanistan
Lapis Lazuli Polished Freeform from Afghanistan
Lapis Lazuli Polished Freeform from Afghanistan
Lapis Lazuli Polished Freeform from Afghanistan Lapis Lazuli Polished Freeform from Afghanistan Lapis Lazuli Polished Freeform from Afghanistan Lapis Lazuli Polished Freeform from Afghanistan
Item # LAP02140565

Lapis Lazuli Polished Freeform from Afghanistan

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Photos taken outdoors in sunlight, specimen is darker blue indoors

Lapis Lazuli Polished Freeform from Afghanistan

From our Personal Collection comes this specimen of exceptional Lapis Lazuli we procured from an Afghan mineral dealer a few years ago. It has a nice deep blue coloring with nice veins of pyrite and minimal white marble spots. This piece can be kept as an excellent polished display specimen, or cut and made into many very nice quality cabochons.

This specimen weighs 8.9 oz or 0.55 lbs (253g) and measures 3 x 2.9 x 0.9 inches (7.8 x 7.3 x 2.4cm)

DSCN5400
3.3 Inch Lapis Lazuli Polished Sphere from Afghanistan
3.3 Inch Lapis Lazuli Polished Sphere from Afghanistan
3.3 Inch Lapis Lazuli Polished Sphere from Afghanistan
3.3 Inch Lapis Lazuli Polished Sphere from Afghanistan
3.3 Inch Lapis Lazuli Polished Sphere from Afghanistan
3.3 Inch Lapis Lazuli Polished Sphere from Afghanistan
3.3 Inch Lapis Lazuli Polished Sphere from Afghanistan
DSCN5400 3.3 Inch Lapis Lazuli Polished Sphere from Afghanistan 3.3 Inch Lapis Lazuli Polished Sphere from Afghanistan 3.3 Inch Lapis Lazuli Polished Sphere from Afghanistan 3.3 Inch Lapis Lazuli Polished Sphere from Afghanistan 3.3 Inch Lapis Lazuli Polished Sphere from Afghanistan 3.3 Inch Lapis Lazuli Polished Sphere from Afghanistan 3.3 Inch Lapis Lazuli Polished Sphere from Afghanistan
Item # LAP021405311

3.3 Inch Lapis Lazuli Polished Sphere from Afghanistan

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Photos taken outdoors in sunlight, specimen is darker blue indoors

3.3 Inch Lapis Lazuli Polished Sphere from Afghanistan

From our Personal Collection comes this sphere of exceptional Lapis Lazuli we procured from an Afghan mineral dealer a few years ago. It has a nice deep blue coloring with nice veins of pyrite and veins of white marble. This was hand selected as the nicest large sphere we found in the selection of Lapis available from several Afghan mineral dealers.

This specimen weighs 35.5 oz or 2.22 lbs (1009g) and measures 3.3 inches (84.4mm) diameter

Rare Lazurite Crystal Mineral Specimen from Afghanistan
Rare Lazurite Crystal Mineral Specimen from Afghanistan
Rare Lazurite Crystal Mineral Specimen from Afghanistan
Rare Lazurite Crystal Mineral Specimen from Afghanistan
Rare Lazurite Crystal Mineral Specimen from Afghanistan
Rare Lazurite Crystal Mineral Specimen from Afghanistan
Rare Lazurite Crystal Mineral Specimen from Afghanistan
Rare Lazurite Crystal Mineral Specimen from Afghanistan Rare Lazurite Crystal Mineral Specimen from Afghanistan Rare Lazurite Crystal Mineral Specimen from Afghanistan Rare Lazurite Crystal Mineral Specimen from Afghanistan Rare Lazurite Crystal Mineral Specimen from Afghanistan Rare Lazurite Crystal Mineral Specimen from Afghanistan Rare Lazurite Crystal Mineral Specimen from Afghanistan
Item # LAZ0814854709

Rare Lazurite Crystal Mineral Specimen from Afghanistan

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Lazurite Crystals on matrix from Afghanistan

From the Spruce Pine Mineral and Gem Show comes this rare specimen of Lazurite we procured from an Afghan mineral dealer. It has multiple nice deep blue Lazurite crystals up to 0.45" (11.5mm) with the beginning of layered structure formations in grey to white crystalline marble with spots of Pyrite forming. This is the beginning formations that many years later become Lapis-Lazuli. This rare Lazurite specimen is from Badakhshan, Afganistan.

This specimen weighs 11.3 oz or 0.7 lbs (320g) and measures 3.1 x 2.1 x 1.89 inches (8 x 5.3 x 4.8cm)