What Does Lapis Lazuli Look Like?

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There are many blue rocks and minerals available to us on this earth.  One of the more popular rocks is lapis lazuli.  This blue metamorphic rock is often seen for sale and can be easily confused with other rocks and minerals. 

It does not happen as often as I remember in the past, but on some occasions people will attempt to sell other rocks or minerals under the name of lapis lazuli.

Lapis lazuli, especially the more colorful and rare types, will often be more expensive than some of the other blue rocks and minerals.  Always make sure you buy from a trusted source, and of course learn a little about lapis lazuli and how to identify it before making purchases.

Visual Looks of Lapis Lazuli

Lapis lazuli has some very distinct features that can help you identify it.  If you look closely at specimens of lapis lazuli you quickly see some of these identifying features that will set it apart from other rocks and minerals.  You can visually look at lapis lazuli and note the following characteristics:

  • Its distinguishing blue color.  The color blue can vary for lapis lazuli at times and it is important to note that many identify its blue color as; indigo, marine blue, or a royal blue.
  • It can include calcite.  Many specimens of lapis lazuli will include calcite.  These white calcite inclusions can often fluoresce under UV light. 
  • It can have inclusions of pyrite.  Those golden flecks in lapis lazuli are pyrite, and often you can see those shiny inclusions, or specks, of pyrite within a specimen of lapis lazuli.
  • Its streak is light blue.  If a streak test is done with lapis lazuli, it will uniquely show a light blue streak on the surface it was scratched on.
  • It is not in crystal form.  Lapis lazuli is a metamorphic rock and does not have a visible crystal structure.  Even though the main blue mineral lazurite is within the rock, lapis lazuli does not take a crystal form.

One of the notable identifying features with lapis lazuli is that it is often carved out into many different objects and shapes.  There are other blue rocks and minerals that do get shaped.  By my observations, the sharp blues that lapis lazuli expresses make this rock the most popular of the blue rocks to be shaped and carved.

Tumbled Lapis Lazuli: These are some cheaper tumbled lapis lazuli rocks. Some show more calcite inclusions than others, while some show inclusions of pyrite.

  

Some Different Looking Lapis Lazuli Varieties

The varieties of lapis lazuli will be more in line with where it comes from and what content is within the specimen.  Some varieties of lapis lazuli can be very expensive based on the color it may display.  Some lapis lazuli varieties have a look that will include:

  • Night sky lapis lazuli, is a rare form of very dark blue lazurite mixed with very distinguished and visible inclusions of pyrite..   
  • Daytime sky lapis lazuli, will express a lighter blue much like a sky and have swirling white calcite inclusions that can look like clouds.  
  • Violet lapis lazuli, is a rare and expensive form of lapis that takes the appearance of looking a bit purple.  Obtained in places like Persia or Afghanistan, the color is quite uniform throughout and it can contain little to no inclusions of pyrite and calcite. 

There are some different names for lapis lazuli I may have not mentioned here.  Some people will reference different varieties of lapis lazuli by where they came from.

Some lapis lazuli can be sold for quite cheap and are at times called tumbling or junk lapis lazuli.   The only real good use for them is to be tumbled into little collectable specimens.  These varieties of lapis are generally filled with lighter colors of blue and more calcite inclusions.  It’s when the color in lapis lazuli gets darker and more pure or uniform, that the cost can increase.

The Different Look of Lazuli and Sodalite

Some say that the most difficult confusion with lapis lazuli is with the mineral sodalite.  Both these can express a blue color and white inclusions.  Sodalite has often been sold as lapis lazuli to unsuspecting purchasers as sodalite is cheaper.  Some differences between the look of lapis lazuli and sodalite are:

  • Lapis lazuli will have inclusions of pyrite, sodalite will not.  Often the pyrite in lapis lazuli will pollute the calcite contents within the specimen.
  • Lapis lazuli is more uniform in texture looking more like a rock, while sodalite is more brecciated, or fragmented looking.  Those fragments for sodalite tend to look like smaller pieced together crystalline type chunks.
  • Most lapis lazuli will express lighter forms of blue, sodalite is often a darker blue to sometimes almost a blackish blue.
  • Lapis lazuli tends to have less white content from the calcite, where sodalite shows more white inclusions.  This can be somewhat of a weak identifier as there are plenty of lapis lazuli specimens out there with a lot of very white calcite inclusions.  

Keep in mind that sodalite is considered a mineral, and lapis lazuli is a metamorphic rock.  The best way to visually see this is that brecciated, or fragmented, look you would see with sodalite and not lapis lazuli.

Something really cool with both lapis lazuli and sodalite, is both can fluoresce under UV light.  The fluorescence will come from the white material, such as calcite, within it.

Lapis Lazuli vs Sodalite: On the left we have a very dark blue specimen of Sodalite. On the right we have some cheaper tumbled lapis lazuli pieces up front and a Lapis Lazuli obelisk in the back expressing some inclusions of pyrite.

For some contrast, if you are interested in Sodalite, I have written an article here “All About Sodalite”, that will detail a little more information on the mineral.

The Different Look of Lapis Lazuli and Azurite

Azurite is a mineral that closely looks like lapis lazuli. This is primarily due to the similar blue color that lapis lazuli and azurite share.  These two can be identified from each other by some very distinct differences.  Some differences between the look of lapis lazuli and azurite are:

  • Lapis lazuli will have pyrite inclusions.  Azurite, a mineral that stands on its own, will not.  
  • Lapis lazuli does not have any crystal structure.  Azurite will form crystals and much of those crystals will be quite visibly formed.
  • Lapis lazuli stands on its own as a metamorphic rock.  Much of azurite will be attached to host rock where it was allowed to form. 
  • Lapis lazuli will not lose its color.  Over time, if azurite is exposed to the elements it will turn into a green, and be called malachite.

Remember for distinct identification, always note that lapis lazuli is a metamorphic rock, and it can have inclusions of pyrite and calcite.  Azurite is sand alone a mineral that forms as crystals. Though sometimes the crystals are not attached, much of azurite is attached to host rock.

Lapis Lazuli vs Azurite: On the left we have some smaller blue Azurite crystals attached to some host rock. On the right we have some cheaper pieces of Lapis Lazuli up front and an obelisk in the back with visible pyrite inclusions.

For some contrast, if you are interested in Azurite, I have written an article here “All About Azurite”, that will detail a little more information on the mineral and show you some additional visual images of azurite.

Conclusion

Some of the best characteristics in identifying lapis lazuli will be the inclusions of pyrite and calcite.  Its color can often be confused with other rocks and minerals and those inclusions will be key in identification.

Lapis lazuli has a very distinct blue color about it that many other rocks and minerals do not have.  Once you have seen or even held a few different specimens of lapis lazuli, you will get better at identifying it.

For some additional information on the rock lapis lazuli, you can access my article here; “What is Lapis Lazuli”.  This article will detail more great information lapis lazuli.

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