Database of luminescent Minerals

Lapis-lazuli

Chemical Formula:See HAUYNE

Familly: Rock

Status:

Mineral for Display: No

Luminescence:

Phosphorescence (in the common meaning of the term) seen by naked eye:

Comments:

A metamorphic rock having lazurite as an essential component. The name Lapis Lazuli has been used both to describe the blue mineral previously known as lazurite (but in most cases is actually a Sulphur-rich variety of Hauyne) and the rock that is made up predominantly of this mineral plus calcite, pyrite and other minerals. (mindat.org)

Because lapis is a rock, the fluorescence depends highly of the minerals present and can be very different from sample to sample.

LW: lazurite(?): light blue, calcite: pinkisch.

SW: fluorescence of different minerals from the sodalite group and or afghanite.

Lazurite of Ovalle Chile said to be thermoluminescente and phosphorescente by De Ment (associated calcite?) (see bibliography)

Main Activator(s) and spectrum:

Best Locality for luminescence(*):

• Ladjuar Medam, Sar-e Sang, Koksha Valley, Khash & Kuran Wa Munjan Districts, Badakhshan, Afghanistan;
• Cazadero river, Ovalle, Limarí Province, Coquimbo, Chile (phosphorescent and thermoluminescent cited by de Ment (calcite?));

(*)Data are not exhaustive and are limited to the most important localities for fluorescence

Bibliographical Reference for luminescence:

• Handbook of Fluorescent Gems and Minerals, a practical guide for the gem and mineral collector, Jack de Ment, 1949 ,

Luminescence Reference on internet:

Images:

 

• Afghanistan: https://www.mindat.org/photo-638269.html

Mineralogical Reference on internet:

  http://www.mindat.org/show.php?name=Lapis-lazuli

  http://webmineral.com/data/Lapis-lazuli.shtml

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