Lazulite Value, Price, and Jewelry Information
Lazulite makes a magnificent, deep blue gemstone. Although the mineral itself occurs widely, gem-quality rough is limited. Specimens are prized by collectors but can also be faceted with care or cut into cabochons for jewelry.
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Lazulite makes a magnificent, deep blue gemstone. Although the mineral itself occurs widely, gem-quality rough is limited. Specimens are prized by collectors but can also be faceted with care or cut into cabochons for jewelry.
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Although lazulite's hardness of 5.5 to 6 makes it a marginal choice for jewelry use, lapidaries have cut cabs from massive material, such as that found in New Hampshire or California. Clean stones over 5 carats are extremely rare. Even small gems tend to be extremely included, thus making lazulites susceptible to fracturing during cutting.
Faceted lazulite strongly resembles blue apatite. Other common mistaken identifications for this gem include azurite, turquoise, and blue tourmaline and topaz. Furthermore, lazulite not only resembles lapis lazuli, its name comes very close to "lazurite." Lazurite is one of the components of lapis lazuli rocks but has no relation to lazulites.
Identifying Characteristics
The lazulite mineral group includes the lazulite and scorzalite species. These form a solid-solution series: (Fe,Mg)Al2(PO4)2(OH)2. Lazulite is the magnesium member; scorzalite is the iron member. These gems show the same colors and strong trichroic pleochroism. However, their specific gravity (SG) and optical properties vary with their Fe/Mg ratio.
Property | Lazulite (Mg) | Mg½Fe½ | Scorzalite (Fe) |
| SG | 3.08 | 3.22 | 3.38 |
| Optics: | |||
| a | 1.604-1.625 | 1.626 | 1.627-1.639 |
| β | 1.633-1.653 | 1.654 | 1.655-1.670 |
| γ | 1.642-1.662 | 1.663 | 1.664-1.680 |
| Sign | (-) | (-) | (-) |
| 2V | 69° | - | 62° |
| Birefringence | 0.031-0.036 | 0.037 | 0.038-0.040 |
Lazulite has a white streak. Many common gemstones have a white streak, too. However, natural lapis lazuli should have a light blue streak. Please note: don't conduct streak testing on finished gems. Test material in inconspicuous spots as a last resort only.
Sources
While scorzalite is a relatively rare mineral, lazulite is more abundant. Champion Mine, Mono County, California produces masses up to 6 inches across. Rapid Creek, Yukon, Canada yields fine, gemmy crystals.
Other notable gem-quality localities include:
- Bhandara district, India: gemmy crystals (RIs 1.615/1.635/1.645; SG = 3.17).
- Minas Gerais, Brazil: fine blue gemmy crystals; a = 1.604-1.629; β = 1.628-1.655; γ = 1.638-1.666; birefringence = 0.031-0.037; SG = 3.07-3.24.
- United States: Graves Mountain, Georgia; Palermo Quarry North Groton, New Hampshire; South Dakota.
- Lobito Bay, Angola; Potosi, Bolivia; Madagascar; Pakistan; Horrsjoberg, Sweden.
Stone Sizes
Faceted gems usually range from 0.5 to 2 carats. Anything larger, especially clean, is extremely rare. The large masses from California aren't clean enough to facet.
Care
Store lazulite gems and jewelry separately from more commonly encountered gemstones, such as garnet, quartz, topaz, etc. Contact with these harder stones as well as common objects like a steel file could scratch lazulites. Use protective settings for ring use. To clean, use a soft brush, mild detergent, and warm water. Consult our gemstone jewelry cleaning guide for more recommendations.
Joel E. Arem, Ph.D., FGA
Dr. Joel E. Arem has more than 60 years of experience in the world of gems and minerals. After obtaining his Ph.D. in Mineralogy from Harvard University, he has published numerous books that are still among the most widely used references and guidebooks on crystals, gems and minerals in the world.
Co-founder and President of numerous organizations, Dr. Arem has enjoyed a lifelong career in mineralogy and gemology. He has been a Smithsonian scientist and Curator, a consultant to many well-known companies and institutions, and a prolific author and speaker. Although his main activities have been as a gem cutter and dealer, his focus has always been education.
International Gem Society
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