The facts
What lazurite actually is
Lazurite is classified as lazurite (sodalite group), with the composition Na₃Ca(Al₃Si₃O₁₂)S. It crystallises in the cubic system.
Colour comes from s₃⁻ trisulfur radical anion in the aluminosilicate cage, which is also what a laboratory looks at when it is asked whether a colour is natural.
Refractive index 1.500–1.522 (isotropic). Specific gravity around 2.38–2.45. Cleavage: imperfect {110}. Those three numbers separate it from most of what imitates it.
Where lazurite comes from
Lazurite is produced at Sar-e-Sang, Badakhshan, Afghanistan and Slyudyanka, Lake Baikal, Russia.
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 lazurite is treated
Untreated as a mineral species. Listed separately from lapis lazuli because the bulk rock's hardness, SG and RI differ materially from the pure mineral's — quoting lazurite's constants for a piece of lapis is a common error. The species definition was revised in 2021.
Treatment changes value, sometimes by a multiple, so it belongs in the description before the price and not after the sale.
What lazurite is confused with
In the trade lazurite is most often mistaken for, or substituted by, Hauyne, Sodalite, Lapis lazuli (the rock) or Afghanite.
The separation is rarely a matter of opinion: refractive index 1.500–1.522 (isotropic) and specific gravity 2.38–2.45 settle most of it in a minute, and magnification settles the rest.
What lazurite is used for
Demand for lazurite comes from mineral collecting and carving and sculpture, 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 or by the block.
Durability and care
Lazurite is 5–5.5 on the Mohs scale, with imperfect {110} cleavage.
Below about 5.5 a stone will be scratched by ordinary household dust, which is largely quartz. That does not make it unusable — it makes it a pendant, an earring or an object rather than a ring worn every day.
Warm water, mild soap and a soft brush. Avoid ultrasonic cleaners on anything fracture-filled, stabilised, dyed or visibly included.
What lazurite costs
As a guide, lazurite trades around Specimen pricing; not traded as a cut gem in its own right.
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 lazurite treated, and how?
Untreated as a mineral species. Listed separately from lapis lazuli because the bulk rock's hardness, SG and RI differ materially from the pure mineral's — quoting lazurite's constants for a piece of lapis is a common error. The species definition was revised in 2021.
Where does lazurite come from?
Sar-e-Sang, Badakhshan, Afghanistan and Slyudyanka, Lake Baikal, Russia. Origin affects price, so we name the locality rather than the country on every quote.
Is lazurite hard enough to wear every day?
Not really. At 5–5.5 on the Mohs scale it is softer than the quartz dust in ordinary household dirt, so it scratches with wear. It suits pendants, earrings and objects better than a daily ring.
How much does lazurite cost?
Indicatively Specimen pricing; not traded as a cut gem in its own right. 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 lazurite confused with?
Most often Hauyne, Sodalite, Lapis lazuli (the rock) and Afghanite. A refractive index of 1.500–1.522 (isotropic) and a specific gravity near 2.38–2.45 separate it quickly.
Related stones
Looking for lazurite?
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 lazurite