Lapis lazuli
- What it is
- Lapis lazuli is a blue metamorphic rock, not a single mineral. It is made mainly of lazurite (the blue part), with calcite (white veins) and pyrite (gold flecks). Mohs hardness is about 5–5.5.
- Where it comes from
- Most comes from Badakhshan in Afghanistan, which has been mined for thousands of years; Chile and Russia also produce it.
- In tradition
- It was treasured in ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt, and was ground into ultramarine pigment for Renaissance painting. It is traditionally associated with wisdom and truth.















