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<TD><H1><A HREF=http://store.unconventionallapidarist.com/Category866>Mineral Specimens</A> / Lapis</H1></TD>
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<P><b>Lapis lazuli</b> <span class="IPA" title="Pronunciation in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA)"></span> (SimplePronounciation | lap-iz-la-zoo-lee) (sometimes abbreviated to <i>lapis</i>) is a <span class="mw-redirect">semi-precious stone</span> prized since antiquity for its intense blue color.<br /><p>Lapis lazuli is a rock, not a mineral: whereas a mineral has only one constituent, lapis lazuli is formed from more than one mineral.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-1"><span>[</span>2<span>]</span></sup></p>
<p>The main component of lapis lazuli is lazurite (25% to 40%), a feldspathoid silicate mineral composed of sodium, aluminium, silicon, oxygen, sulfur, and chloride. Its formula is (Na,Ca)<sub>8</sub>(AlSiO<sub>4</sub>)<sub>6</sub>(S,SO<sub>4</sub>,Cl)<sub>1-2</sub>.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-2"><span>[</span>3<span>]</span></sup> Most lapis lazuli also contains calcite (white), sodalite (blue) and pyrite (metallic yellow). Other possible constituents are augite, diopside, enstatite, mica, <span class="mw-redirect">hauynite</span>, hornblende and nosean. Some contain trace amounts of the sulfur rich lollingite variety <i>geyerite</i>.</p>
<p>Lapis lazuli usually occurs in crystalline marble as a result of <span class="mw-redirect">contact metamorphism</span>.</p>
<p>The finest color is intense blue, lightly dusted with small flecks of golden pyrite. There should be no white calcite
veins and the pyrite inclusions should be small. Stones that contain no
calcite at all or too much pyrite are not as valuable. Patches of
pyrite are an important help in identifying the stone as genuine and do
not detract from its value. Often, inferior lapis is dyed to improve
its color, but this is often a very dark blue with a noticeable grey
cast, may also appear as a milky shade.</p>
<br /><font class="font2">This article is licensed under the
<a href="http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html" class="external text" title="http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">GNU Free Documentation License</a>.
It uses material from the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lapis" class="external text" title="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lapis" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Wikipedia article "Lapis"</a></font></P>
<BR clear=left><BR><P><A HREF=http://store.unconventionallapidarist.com/Product11380 TITLE="Afghanistan Lapis Mineral Specimen"><IMG SRC="https://store.nexternal.com/lapidarist/images/lapismnrl1010-03.jpg" ALIGN=left ALT="Afghanistan Lapis Mineral Specimen" NAME="Afghanistan Lapis Mineral Specimen" BORDER=0></A>
<A HREF=http://store.unconventionallapidarist.com/Product11380 TITLE="Afghanistan Lapis Mineral Specimen">Afghanistan Lapis Mineral Specimen</A>
-- <STRIKE>$45.00</STRIKE> <font color=black><B>$31.50</B></font>
-- Afghanistan Lapis Mineral Specimen ( 2.5" x 2.8" x 1.5" )</P>
<BR clear=left><BR><P><A HREF=http://store.unconventionallapidarist.com/Product11381 TITLE="Afghanistan Lapis Mineral Specimen"><IMG SRC="https://store.nexternal.com/lapidarist/images/lapismnrl1011-03.jpg" ALIGN=left ALT="Afghanistan Lapis Mineral Specimen" NAME="Afghanistan Lapis Mineral Specimen" BORDER=0></A>
<A HREF=http://store.unconventionallapidarist.com/Product11381 TITLE="Afghanistan Lapis Mineral Specimen">Afghanistan Lapis Mineral Specimen</A>
-- <STRIKE>$60.00</STRIKE> <font color=black><B>$42.00</B></font>
-- Afghanistan Lapis Mineral Specimen ( 2.3" x 4.5" x 2" )</P>
<BR clear=left><BR><P><A HREF=http://store.unconventionallapidarist.com/Product11382 TITLE="Afghanistan Lapis Mineral Specimen"><IMG SRC="https://store.nexternal.com/lapidarist/images/lapismnrl1012-03.jpg" ALIGN=left ALT="Afghanistan Lapis Mineral Specimen" NAME="Afghanistan Lapis Mineral Specimen" BORDER=0></A>
<A HREF=http://store.unconventionallapidarist.com/Product11382 TITLE="Afghanistan Lapis Mineral Specimen">Afghanistan Lapis Mineral Specimen</A>
-- <STRIKE>$20.00</STRIKE> <font color=black><B>$14.00</B></font>
-- Afghanistan Lapis Mineral Specimen ( 3.4" x 1.6" x .91" )</P>
<BR clear=left><BR><P><A HREF=http://store.unconventionallapidarist.com/Product11383 TITLE="Afghanistan Lapis Mineral Specimen"><IMG SRC="https://store.nexternal.com/lapidarist/images/lapismnrl1013-03.jpg" ALIGN=left ALT="Afghanistan Lapis Mineral Specimen" NAME="Afghanistan Lapis Mineral Specimen" BORDER=0></A>
<A HREF=http://store.unconventionallapidarist.com/Product11383 TITLE="Afghanistan Lapis Mineral Specimen">Afghanistan Lapis Mineral Specimen</A>
-- <STRIKE>$42.00</STRIKE> <font color=black><B>$29.40</B></font>
-- Afghanistan Lapis Mineral Specimen ( 2.1" x 2.5" x 1.9" )</P>
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