Lazurite

Item Description

Lazurite is most well-known specimens of Lazurite are the famous pieces from Sar-e-Sang, Afghanistan. These specimens have almost undoubtedly been found for thousands of years, but they were never identified as an actual mineral species, they were just component of the stone Lapis Lazuli. The earliest reference I can find for the species Lazurite dates back to 1869 according to mindat.org. This piece features a sharp, dodecahedral crystal of dark blue Lazurite measuring 1.2 cm with a bit of accenting Lazurites sitting etched marble matrix with a tiny mount of golden metallic Pyrite. Over the last several years, Lazurite was discredited as a valid mineral species, and was being classified as a sulfide-bearing variety of Hauyne. Thankfully in 2021, Lazurite has been reinstated, so we can now resume labeling all of our Lazurite specimens accurately. The piece is not repaired, and the Lazurite crystal is undamaged, though not 100% complete. This is a sharp crystal, which is important to note as most crystals from this locality end up rather distorted or "lumpy" when they get this around this size. A wonderful example of this classic and fine quality material from Afghanistan.