The facts
What afghanite actually is
Afghanite is classified as cancrinite group (feldspathoid), with the composition (Na,Ca,K)₈(Si,Al)₁₂O₂₄(SO₄,Cl,CO₃)₃·H₂O. It crystallises in the hexagonal system.
Colour comes from sulphate and chloride-related colour centres give a cornflower to sky blue, which is also what a laboratory looks at when it is asked whether a colour is natural.
Refractive index 1.522–1.533. Specific gravity around 2.55–2.65. Cleavage: perfect prismatic. Those three numbers separate it from most of what imitates it.
Where afghanite comes from
Afghanite is produced at Sar-e-Sang, Badakhshan, Afghanistan, Case Collina, Latium, Italy and Ladjuar Medam, Afghanistan.
The locality is part of the description, not a footnote — two stones of the same weight from two of these places are not the same stone.
How afghanite is treated
Untreated. A soft, cleavable lapis-associated mineral; cut stones are under a carat and strictly for collectors.
Treatment changes value, sometimes by a multiple, so it belongs in the description before the price and not after the sale.
What afghanite is confused with
In the trade afghanite is most often mistaken for, or substituted by, Lazurite, Haüyne or Sodalite.
The separation is rarely a matter of opinion: refractive index 1.522–1.533 and specific gravity 2.55–2.65 settle most of it in a minute, and magnification settles the rest.
What afghanite is used for
Demand for afghanite comes from mineral collecting, which is why one price per carat never covers it.
We quote each application in the unit that trade actually buys in, by the specimen.
Durability and care
Hardness 5.5–6; cleavage perfect prismatic. That combination decides what it can safely be set into.
Hardness is not the whole story. Perfect cleavage means the stone can split cleanly if struck along the wrong plane, whatever its Mohs number, so a protective setting matters more here than the hardness suggests.
Warm water, mild soap and a soft brush. Avoid ultrasonic cleaners on anything fracture-filled, stabilised, dyed or visibly included.
What afghanite costs
As a guide, afghanite trades around Crystals on matrix 40–500 USD; faceted grains 200–600 USD/ct.
That is a range, not a quote. Colour, size, clarity, cut and origin move the figure a long way inside it, and the only honest price is one given against a specific stone. Send us what you need and we will price it.
Questions
Is afghanite treated, and how?
Untreated. A soft, cleavable lapis-associated mineral; cut stones are under a carat and strictly for collectors.
Where does afghanite come from?
Sar-e-Sang, Badakhshan, Afghanistan, Case Collina, Latium, Italy and Ladjuar Medam, Afghanistan. Origin affects price, so we name the locality rather than the country on every quote.
Is afghanite hard enough to wear every day?
With care. It is 5.5–6 on the Mohs scale, which is hard enough, but perfect prismatic cleavage means it can split if struck at the wrong angle. Use a protective setting and avoid ultrasonic cleaning.
How much does afghanite cost?
Indicatively Crystals on matrix 40–500 USD; faceted grains 200–600 USD/ct. Colour, size, clarity and origin move the price a long way within that, so treat it as a range and ask for a quote against a specific stone.
What is afghanite confused with?
Most often Lazurite, Haüyne and Sodalite. A refractive index of 1.522–1.533 and a specific gravity near 2.55–2.65 separate it quickly.
Related stones
Looking for afghanite?
Tell us the size, the quality and what it is for. We source it, photograph it and quote it — with the locality named.
Ask about afghanite