Lazurite – Stone of Heaven

Lazurite – Stone of Heaven

Category – Tectosilicate

Chemical Formula (Na,Ca)8[(S,Cl,SO4,OH)2|(Al6Si6O24)]

Crystal Symmetry – Cubic hexoctahedral

Color – Deep Blue, azure, violet-blue, greenish blue

Crystal Habit – Crystals occur as dodecahedra, or rarely cubes; granular, disseminated, or massive

Crystal System isometric

Cleavage – imperfect

Fracture – uneven

Tenacity – Brittle

Mohs scale – 5-5.5

Luster – VitreousLazurite a member of the Sodalite group.  It is usually massive and forms the bulk of the gemstone Lapis Lazuli.

Lazurite is a deep blue to greenish blue. It commonly contains or is associated with grains of pyrite.

Lazurite was first described in 1890 for an occurrence in the Sar-e-Sang District, Koksha Valley, Badakhshan Province, Afghanistan. It has been mined for over 6,000 years in the lapis lazuli district of Badakhshan, Afghanistan. 

It has been used as a pigment in painting and cloth dyeing since at least the sixth or seventh century AD. 

It is also mined at Lake Baikal in Siberia; Mount Vesuvius; Burma; Canada; and the United States. The name is from the Persian lazward for blue.

Lazurite is called a ‘stone of heaven’, bringing in the clarity and purity of energy from the forces of the universe. This ‘heavenly’ stone is excellent in meditation to take one to the home of euphoria. It promotes calming and enhances sanctity within ones being.

Wearing this Lazulite near the throat area assists with clarity in speech & thoughts. This stone assists with the gift of clairaudience or 'hearing' outside of the physical realm.

It was used by the ancients as a ‘worry stone’ which provided insight to worries and encouraged the application of intuitive answers.

Auriel Grace
A Gang of Girls