Where is Lapis Lazuli and Amethyst found?
Lapis Lazuli (a rock composed primarily of lazurite, calcite, and pyrite) and Amethyst (a variety of quartz, SiO2)
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Open the appLapis Lazuli and Amethyst occurs in specific geological environments. Knowing where to look, and in what kind of rock, is the difference between going home empty-handed and finding a great specimen.
Where to find Lapis Lazuli and Amethyst
Badakhshan, Afghanistan (Lapis Lazuli)
The most historically significant and primary source of high-quality Lapis Lazuli, mined for over 6,000 years from the Sar-e-Sang mines.
Lake Baikal, Siberia, Russia (Lapis Lazuli)
Another important source, producing material often with a slightly lighter blue color and more prominent calcite.
Ovalle, Coquimbo Region, Chile (Lapis Lazuli)
Produces Lapis Lazuli, often with a paler blue color and more white calcite than Afghan material.
Minas Gerais, Brazil (Amethyst)
One of the world's largest and most important sources of amethyst, known for large geodes and high-quality crystals.
Artigas, Uruguay (Amethyst)
Famous for producing deep purple, often reddish-purple, amethyst geodes and crystals.
Zambia (Amethyst)
Known for producing amethyst with a rich, dark purple color, sometimes with a slight reddish flash.
Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada (Amethyst)
Produces distinctive amethyst with red hematite inclusions, giving it a unique appearance.
Collecting tips
- Lapis Lazuli Identification. Look for the characteristic deep blue color, often with white calcite streaks and golden pyrite flecks. A scratch test on an inconspicuous area might reveal a white streak (due to calcite), and a drop of dilute HCl will effervesce on the calcite portions.
- Amethyst Identification. Identify by its purple color, vitreous luster, hexagonal crystal habit (if crystalline), and conchoidal fracture. Its hardness of 7 on the Mohs scale means it will scratch glass and steel.
- Geological Context for Lapis Lazuli. Search in areas of contact metamorphism, particularly where limestones or marbles have been intruded by igneous rocks and subjected to sulfur-rich fluids.
- Geological Context for Amethyst. Look for volcanic regions, especially in basalt flows where geodes can form, or in hydrothermal veins within various rock types.
- Distinguishing Lapis Lazuli from Sodalite. Sodalite is typically a slightly duller blue, often with more prominent white veining and lacks the characteristic golden pyrite inclusions of Lapis Lazuli. Sodalite also has a white streak, while lazurite (the blue component of Lapis) has a blue streak.
- Distinguishing Amethyst from Fluorite. Fluorite is much softer (Mohs 4) than amethyst (Mohs 7) and exhibits perfect octahedral cleavage, which amethyst lacks. Fluorite also has a wider range of colors, but purple fluorite can be confused with amethyst.
Quick Check
- Color:
- Lapis Lazuli: Deep blue with white and gold inclusions; Amethyst: Purple
- Luster:
- Lapis Lazuli: Dull to greasy; Amethyst: Vitreous
- Streak:
- Lapis Lazuli: Light blue (lazurite component), white (calcite component); Amethyst: White
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