1.2" Polished Lapis Lazuli Sphere - Afghanistan

This is a polished lapis lazuli sphere, collected from Badakhshan, Afghanistan. Comes with pictured display stand.

Lapis lazuli is unlike most other gem materials because it is not a mineral. Instead, it is a rock composed of multiple minerals. The blue color of lapis lazuli is mainly derived from the presence of lazurite. To be called "lapis lazuli," a rock must have a distinctly blue color and contain at least 25% blue lazurite. Pyrite usually occurs in lapis lazuli as tiny, randomly spaced grains with a contrasting gold color.