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Lapis Lazuli : The Earth’s Best Blue

Kumari Sonali

Lapis Lazuli : The Earth’s Best Blue

Lapis lazuli is a vivid blue metamorphic rock, known for its striking colour and semi-precious gemstone value.

  • It has been highly valued for thousands of years for use in jewellery, ornaments, and pigments.
  • Composition of Lapis Lazuli
    • The blue colour comes from lazurite (25-40%), a rare mineral.
    • The shade of blue depends on the amount and structure of sulphur in lazurite.
    • Other minerals present: Pyrite (gives golden streaks and sparkle), Calcite (reduces the blueness), Diopside and Sodalite (found in smaller quantities).
  • Major sources include Afghanistan, Chile, Russia, and the United States.
  • The highest-quality lapis lazuli is mined in Badakhshan province, Afghanistan, where it has been extracted for over 6,000 years.

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