News– Lapis lazuli has been found in many countries but the highest quality rock comes from Afghanistan’s Badakhshan province.
About Lapis Lazuli
- It is a deep blue metamorphic rock known for its striking colour and semi-precious gemstone value.
- It has been prized for thousands of years as a semi-precious gemstone and a source of the rare ultramarine pigment used in art.
- Composition and Appearance:
- The blue color of lapis lazuli comes from lazurite (25-40%), with its shade varying based on sulphur content. It also contains:
- Pyrite – Gives golden streaks.
- Calcite – Causes lighter patches, reducing blueness.
- Diopside & Sodalite – Found in smaller amounts.
- Major sources:
- The world’s highest-quality lapis lazuli comes from the Badakhshan province of Afghanistan, where it has been mined for over 6,000 years.
- Other sources include Chile, Russia, and the USA.
- Historical and Cultural significance:
- In ancient times, traders in India imported lapis lazuli from Badakhshan, perhaps as long ago as 1000 BC.
- Ornaments made of lapis lazuli have been discovered at Indus Valley Civilization sites (Mohenjo-daro & Harappa).
- Ancient Egypt: Ground into powder for eye makeup and used in royal ornaments.
- Renaissance Europe: Processed into ultramarine, a rare and expensive blue pigment used by painters.
