Sodalite

Scientific Name: Sodium aluminum silicate choloride mineral

Group: Silicates – tectosilicates

Chemical composition: Na4Al3Si3O12Cl

Colors: Blue, white, gray, multicolored.

Hardness: 5.5 to 6

Formation: Cubic crystals; Massive form

Principal Sources: Canada,, Russia; Germany, India; Maine, New Hampshire, Arkansas.

Special Notes: Sodalite is a rich royal blue mineral widely enjoyed as an ornamental gemstone since a large discovery was made in Canada in 1981. It is named its high sodium content. Although similar to lapis lazuli, sodalite is a royal blue rather than ultramarine. Sodalite also rarely contains pyrite, a common inclusion in lapis, and instead has white inclusions.