ShangrilaGems

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20mm by 9.5/10 by 5mm. 

Superb Hand faceted Lapis Lazuli Cabochon from Afghanistan! Wonderful!
See details of the Healing Properties of Lapis Lazuli and it' minerology and history below.
Lapias Lazuli comes from the Badakhshan province of northern Afghanistan, where it has been mined continuously for over 6,000 years. Other deposits have been found in Angola, Canada, Chile, Myanmar, Pakistan, Russia and the United States.

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LAPIS LAZULI HEALING PROPERTIES:
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This information comes from the public domain and ShangrilaGems take no responsibility for the outcome of using this gemstone for healing properties. This is information from a number of professional gemstone healers that they have experienced from using the gemstone. We can only recommend upon the knowledge we have and cannot guarantee. 

Lapis Lazuli quickly releases stress, bringing us profound feelings of peace and security. It brings harmony and deep inner self-knowledge and encourages honest, clear and objective self-expression. Lapis Lazuli encourages creativity and inspires confidence. It bonds relationships, aiding in expression of feelings and emotions. 

Lapis Lazuli can help overcome depression and low mood. Lapis Lazuli boosts the immune system, purifies blood, lowers blood pressure, cooling and soothing areas of inflammation. It alleviates insomnia and vertigo. Lapis Lazuli benefits the respiratory and nervous systems and the throat, vocal chords, and thyroid, cleanses organs, bone marrow and thymus.

LAPIS LAZULI GEMSTONE INFORMATION
Lapis lazuli is one of the few gemstones that is a rock rather than a mineral. It can consist of up to 15 minerals, but is mainly is a mixture of 3 main components: Lazurite, a complex mineral containing sulphur, is the essential ingredient and gives the vivid blue colour, the others are Hauyne and Sodalite. To varying degrees also Calcite, responsible for the white streaks in many specimens and Pyrite, an iron sulphide, gold/white in colour that gives the distinctive gold flecks.

Quality of Lapis Lazuli: Collectors look for a minimum of white calcite streaks, which in lower grade stones can give a lighter blue hue known as lapis matrix or ‘denim lapis’. Decorative and attractive gold flecks of pyrite are valued by collectors.

Fakes and enhancements of Lapis Lazuli: Synthetic Lapis has been produced since the 1950’s. It is much harder than natural Lapis so can be easily distinguished. Also watch for cheaper priced perfectly coloured Lapis; it may be re-constituted in a similar way to turquoise. It can also be died and then waxed to improve the colour. It will still look very attractive, but the price should (but not in all cases) reflect the quality. Beware!

History of Lapis Lazuli: Many fine examples exist of Egyptian jewellery with Lapis set in gold, often in the popular scarab design. Historians believe that Cleopatra used powdered Lapis for eye shadow. The ancient royal Sumerian tombs of Ur, located near the Euphrates River in lower Iraq, contained more than 6,000 intricately carved Lapis Lazuli statuettes. Powdered Lapis was also the source for the blue pigment known as ultramarine, used by painters from the medieval period through the Renaissance. The name ‘lapis’ is Parsi (Persian) for blue.

Care of Lapis Lazuli: A fairly soft and porous stone, protect it from solvents and chemicals. It is sensitive to pressure and high temperatures. Do not expose it to steam cleaners and always wipe off perspiration and perfume before storing. Warm soapy water is the best way to clean it.

Working with Lapis Lazuli: It is often identified by its strong smell, which indicates to professional cutters the potential depth of colour. The stone has an uneven fracture and an imperfect cleavage; however the tight granular structure makes it ideal for carving or sawing. A versatile material for different surface polishes. 
Location and deposits of Lapis Lazuli: The finest gems come from the Badakhshan province of northern Afghanistan, where it has been mined continuously for over 6,000 years. Other deposits have been found in Angola, Canada, Chile, Myanmar, Pakistan, Russia and the United States. 

Gemmology of Lapis Lazuli: 
Colour: Lazur-blue, violet/blue.
Crystal form: Various as it is a rock.
Chemical composition:
Lazurite: (Na,CA)8(AlSiO4)6(SO4,S,Cl)2
Hauyne: (Na,CA)4-8(AlSiO4)6(SO4)1-2
Sodalite: Na8(AlSiO4)6Cl2
Calcite: CaCO3
Pyrite: FeS2
Lustre: Vitreous and greasy
Hardness: 5-5.5
Specific gravity: 2.38 – 3.00

Refractive index: 1.50 – 1.55