Introduction

Sodalite, whose name literally means sodium stone, is a silicate of sodium, chlorine and aluminum. It belongs to the group of minerals called gangrinite-sodalite.

Its typical color is opaque blue and often has whitish veins of feldspar inside.

This mineral, whose origin is solely linked to the magmatic process, is mainly contained in pegmatitic rocks with a low silicon content.

It is found in the form of massive clusters and it is extremely rare to find it in crystalline form.

Its discovery dates back to 1811, when it was found in the Ilimaussaq intrusive complex in Greenland.

In the past it was often confused with lapis lazuli, another mineral that has a blue color. To distinguish these two minerals, just look at their different shades of blue: ink blue in lapis lazuli and opaque blue in sodalite. Furthermore, in lapis lazuli, it is possible to observe the presence of pyrite (golden yellow), which is, however, absent in sodalite.

Sodalite

Lapis Lazuli

Where is it

The largest deposits are found in Brazil, the United States, India, Africa and Canada.

Property

  • Mineral Class: Silicates (tectosilicates)
  • Crystalline group: Monometric
  • Crystalline system: Cubic
  • Chemical formula: Na8 [Cl2 (AlSiO4) 6]
  • Hardness (Mohrs): 5-6
  • Density: 2.3 g / cm3

Uses

Sodalite, worked and transformed into a gem, is now widely used in jewelry as a semiprecious stone for making rings, brooches, pendants and necklaces. It is also used for the creation of handcrafted sculptures.

In architecture, in the form of rough or worked rock, it is widely used as a decorative stone.

Tumbled Sodalite

Curiosity

In Brazil, according to a legend told in the area of ​​San Salvador de Bahia, a young woman fell madly in love with a man with a heart of stone, who rejected her. Sorrowful for the refusal, the woman, desperate, took her own life. The man, upon learning of the young woman's suicide, realized he had lost a woman who had loved him madly. So, I burst into tears and sodalite was born from the union of her tears with the blue sky.

Sodalite gained notoriety around 1890, when a large deposit was discovered in Canada. On the occasion of the visit of the British royals to the 1901 World's Fair in Buffalo, New York, the Princess of Wales fell in love with a gift of sodalite from Bancroft, Canada, and chose it as a decoration for Marlborough House in London. For this reason, sodalite is also called "Princess Blue" in her honor.

Sodalite pendant

Metaphysical angle


Those who use sodalite for its pseudotherapeutic effects believe that this stone favors the development of rational thinking, objectivity and intuition. Sodalite is also believed to bring emotional balance and help calm panic attacks.

Finally, sodalite is used because it is believed to improve self-esteem, self-acceptance and self-confidence.