Sands of Time Designs - Handmade Jewellery
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Lapis Lazuli Blue Heishi Beads, 16″ Strand

$15.20 inc GST.

22 in stock

Gemstone: Lapis Lazuli
Size: 6mm x 2mm
Strand Length (inches): 15″
Colour: Blue
Beads in Strand: Approximately 160 beads

Lapis lazuli is a precious gemstone most well-known for its bright blue color. It is formed when the minerals of lazurite, calcite, and pyrite meld together by heat within metamorphic rock. It is mostly found in Afghanistan, though the mining of the stone is destructive and very controversial. In ancient times, lapis lazuli was seen as a clear sign of wealth.

To form a Lapis lazuli stone there must be a mixture of three essential minerals: lazurite, calcite, and pyrite. The gemstones are found in metamorphic rocks that have variable compositions and physical properties. These minerals are often mixed together due to the magmatic heat flowing into other, cooler deposits of more abundant rocks, such as limestone, that Lazurite, Calcite, and Pyrite are found lying within.