Mineral Guide · Rock
Lapis Lazuli
Lapis lazuli is a deep blue decorative rock, valued in mosaic for its saturated colour and natural contrast of blue, white and gold-toned minerals.
Mineral properties
- Formula
Mineral Guide · Rock
Lapis lazuli is a deep blue decorative rock, valued in mosaic for its saturated colour and natural contrast of blue, white and gold-toned minerals.
Lapis lazuli is a decorative metamorphic rock, not a single mineral. Its blue component may be lazurite or related sulphur-bearing feldspathoid minerals; calcite commonly contributes white areas and pyrite may add small gold-coloured flecks.
Good lapis lazuli ranges from medium to deep ultramarine blue. Natural white calcite veining and discreet pyrite inclusions are part of the material's character, not automatically flaws. Because composition varies from piece to piece, it does not have one fixed chemical formula or one set of mineral properties.
Lapis lazuli forms through high-grade metamorphic processes in suitable carbonate- and evaporite-related rocks. The historic Sar-e-Sang deposits in Badakhshan, Afghanistan are the classic source. Other well-known occurrences include the Coquimbo region of Chile, Russia and Myanmar.
Thin lapis plates provide rich blue areas that are difficult to imitate with a single flat colour. In Florentine mosaic, the maker may position white calcite and pyrite features deliberately, using the natural pattern as part of the composition.
Reviewed by NotOnlyRocks Editorial Team
Last reviewed: 20 August 2026
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