Lapis Lazuli Facts, Information and Description

Lapis Lazuli is listed as the traditional birthstone for December. (Note that the official birthstone list adopted by the American National Association of jewellers in 1912 denotes Turquoise and blue Topaz as the official birthstones.) It is also the Planetary stone for Capricorn and the birthstone for Libra. See the birthstone tables for additional references to lapis. Lapis may be given as a gem on the 7th and 9th wedding anniversary.

Lapis is considered a rock, not a mineral. It combines various minerals, mostly lazurite, but also contains calcite (white), sodalite (blue) and pyrite (fools' gold, a metallic yellow) and to be considered a mineral it would have only one component.

Top quality lapis lazuli comes from Afghanistan where is has been mined for more than 6000 years, but is also found in Siberia, Chile,  the U.S., Pakistan, and Canada.

A strong blue, sometimes with a hint of violet, lapis lazuli's value decreases with the presence of white patches (calcite), while small veins of pyrite are often prized.

The Egyptians used Lapis for seals, ground it for an eyelid cosmetic and often carved it into vases and figurines. 

A soft stone, 5 -5.5 on the Mohs scale of hardness, lapis lazuli is one of the most valuable semi opaque stones.

Category: rock
Cleavage: none
Crystal habit: compact, massive
Specific gravity: 2.7 - 2.9
Luster: dull
Fracture: uneven
Streak: light blue

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