Lapis lazuli is one of the metamorphic rocks used as a semiprecious stone and has been known since ancient times. Its name derives from the Latin “lapis”, stone, and from the Arabic “läžwärd“, blue. It has a blue color, given by the high content of lazurite, and golden shades, given by the inclusions of pyrite. The mines in northeastern Afghanistan are among the main sources of extraction of this mineral. Afghanistan was also the source of supply of lapis lazuli for the ancient Egyptian and Mesopotamian civilizations, as well as for the Greeks and Romans. It is also mined in Russia and Chile and, in smaller quantities, in Pakistan, Italy, Mongolia, the United States and Canada.
Dimensions
Single stone hole diameter (mm): 2
Single stone width (mm): 15-30
Single stone width (mm): 10-20
Property
Chemical Formula: Na8 [S / (AlSiO4) 6]
Mohs scale: 5-6
Relative Density: 2.38-2.42
Crystalline System: Cubic
