Sodalite 苏胆石 / 方钠石

xyzphoto 宝玉石介绍 Gemstone Introduction

Deposit sites: Brazil, India, Canada, Namibia, Africa, and U.S.A.

Group: Felsparoid/Sodalite

Hardness: 5 – 6

Zodiacal sign: Virgo, Sagittarius, Cancer

Color scheme: Dark blue to violetish blue, often with white veining; rarely gray, greenish, yellowish, white, or pink

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Shades of blue marbled with flashes and bursts of white calcite identify this gemstone as sodalite. Sodalite is a dark blue mineral which closely resembles lapis lazuli in appearance. It is named for its high sodium content.

The ancient inhabitants of the area around Lake Titicaca in Bolivia fashioned beads of sodalite, and it is still used for that purpose today as well as in the manufacture of ornamental art objects. Over the course of history it has been used extensively for fine art pieces and jewelry by such name as Faberge, Medici and Cartier.