Lazurite was first described in 1890 for an occurrence in the Sar-e-Sang District, Koksha Valley, Badakhshan Province, Afghanistan. It has been mined for more than 6,000 years in the lapis lazuli district of Badakhshan. It has been used as a pigment in painting and cloth dyeing since at least the 6th or 7th century.

Where is lazurite found?

Named after the Persian word lazhward, meaning “blue,” and in reference to its similarity to azurite. The formation of lazurite is a result of contact metamorphism of limestones and can be found in Afghanistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Italy, the United States, Canada, Burma, and Chile, among some others.

How did lazurite get its name?

The name Lazurite is derived from the term "Lazaward", which means heaven in Arabic, alluding to its blue color. Lazurite occurs almost exclusively in massive form without any visible crystals.