Lapis Lazuli

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.