Finely Polished Lapis Lazuli - Afghanistan
Another exceptional piece of lapis lazuli, carefully chosen for our collection of rocks and minerals.
The use of lapis lazuli as a decorative stone dates back thousands of years. It was widely used in Ancient Egypt, and burial sites dated prior to 3000 BC have been found to contain vast amounts of lapis lazuli jewellery and carvings.
Lapis lazuli is a blue metamorphic rock composed of several different minerals. Its deep blue colour comes from lazurite, while pyrite and calcite appear as metallic flecks and white veins or patches.
Small amounts of other minerals such as sodalite, haüyne, wollastonite and mica are often present.
One mineral rarely mentioned in descriptions of lapis lazuli is nosean. This is because it usually occurs in small amounts and is chemically and visually similar to lazurite, haüyne, and sodalite, making it difficult to distinguish.
For a rock to be classified as lapis lazuli, it must contain at least 25% lazurite. Calcite is usually the second most abundant mineral.
A beautifully polished lapis lazuli stone with outstanding colour.
