[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"minerals:one:43869":3},{"id":4,"longid":5,"guid":6,"name":7,"shortcode_ima":8,"entrytype":9,"entrytype_text":10,"varietyof":11,"synid":11,"polytypeof":11,"groupid":11,"weighting":12,"nolocadd":13,"blacklisted":13,"mindat_formula":14,"mindat_formula_note":11,"ima_formula":14,"elements":15,"sigelements":19,"key_elements":20,"impurities":11,"cim":11,"ima_status":21,"ima_notes":11,"ima_history":11,"approval_year":23,"publication_year":24,"discovery_year":11,"strunz10ed1":25,"strunz10ed2":26,"strunz10ed3":27,"strunz10ed4":11,"dana8ed1":27,"dana8ed2":27,"dana8ed3":27,"dana8ed4":27,"csystem":28,"cclass":29,"spacegroup":30,"spacegroupset":31,"a":32,"b":33,"c":34,"alpha":11,"beta":11,"gamma":35,"aerror":36,"berror":29,"cerror":37,"alphaerror":11,"betaerror":11,"gammaerror":37,"va3":38,"z":37,"csmetamict":13,"commentcrystal":11,"twinning":39,"tranglide":11,"parting":11,"epitaxidescription":11,"morphology":40,"tlform":41,"hmin":42,"hmax":42,"hardtype":11,"vhnmin":11,"vhnmax":11,"vhnerror":11,"vhng":11,"vhns":11,"commenthard":11,"dmeas":43,"dmeas2":43,"dcalc":44,"dmeaserror":45,"dcalcerror":11,"commentdense":11,"lustre":11,"lustretype":46,"commentluster":11,"diapheny":47,"streak":48,"colour":49,"commentcolor":50,"colors":51,"streak_colors":59,"luminescence":11,"uv":11,"cleavage":60,"cleavagetype":61,"fracturetype":62,"tenacity":63,"commentbreak":11,"opticaltype":64,"opticalsign":65,"opticalalpha":66,"opticalalpha2":11,"opticalalphaerror":42,"opticalbeta":67,"opticalbeta2":11,"opticalbetaerror":68,"opticalgamma":69,"opticalgamma2":11,"opticalgammaerror":70,"opticalomega":11,"opticalomega2":11,"opticalomegaerror":11,"opticalepsilon":11,"opticalepsilon2":11,"opticalepsilonerror":11,"opticaln":11,"opticaln2":11,"opticalnerror":11,"optical2vcalc":71,"optical2vcalc2":11,"optical2vcalcerror":11,"optical2vmeasured":72,"optical2vmeasured2":11,"optical2vmeasurederror":29,"rimin":73,"rimax":74,"opticaldispersion":75,"opticalpleochroism":76,"opticalpleochorismdesc":77,"opticalbirefringence":11,"opticalcomments":78,"opticalcolour":11,"opticalinternal":11,"opticaltropic":11,"opticalanisotropism":11,"opticalbireflectance":11,"opticalextinction":79,"opticalr":11,"specdispm":11,"ir":11,"electrical":11,"magnetism":11,"thermalbehaviour":11,"other":11,"industrial":11,"occurrence":80,"otheroccurrence":11,"type_specimen_store":81,"description_short":82,"aboutname":83,"rock_parent":11,"rock_parent2":11,"rock_root":9,"rock_bgs_code":11,"meteoritical_code":11,"updttime":84,"reviewed_at":11,"variety_of":11,"varieties":85,"group_members":86,"associates":87,"confused_with":94,"type_localities":95,"occurrence_total":45,"citations":102,"images":119,"structures":219,"synonyms":226,"language_names":229,"wikidata_qid":247,"texts":248},43869,"1:1:43869:8","69cc3e78-ff7f-43c2-8817-e9ef2b66c89a","Sanguite","Sgu",0,"mineral",null,11,false,"KCuCl\u003Csub>3\u003C\u002Fsub>",[16,17,18],"Cl","Cu","K",[16,17,18],[16,17],[22],"APPROVED",2013,2015,"3","A","0","Monoclinic",5,14,"P21\u002Fc "," 4.0281"," 13.7906"," 8.7335"," 97.137",2,4,481.38,"Areas with polysynthetic twinning have been observed in some crystals under the microscope. On the section coplanar to (010); the twin lamellae are wedge-shaped and elongated along [100].","Prismatic crystals up to 1 mm long and up to 0.2 mm thick, groups, crusts. Crystal forms are {011}, {100}, and {010}.","Prismatic crystals up to 1 mm long and up to 0.2 mm thick, typically combined in groups, dense clusters, or crusts up to several dozens of cm2 in area.",3,"2.86","2.88",1,"Vitreous","Transparent","Reddish orange","Bright red","Slightly altered samples are dark red to brownish red.",[52,53,54,55,56,57,58],"red","orange","gray","pink","brown","yellow","colorless",[52,53],"Perfect on (010); another distinct cleavage observed under the microscope is probably on (102), based on angles measured on cleaved\r\npieces and by analogy with the synthetic crystals.","Perfect","Step-Like","brittle","Biaxial","-","1.653","1.780",6,"1.900",8,"82","85",1.653,1.9,"Very strong, r > v","Strong","X = yellowish grey to colorless; Y = grey to pinkish grey; Z = brownish red.","Absorption: Z > Y > X.","Y = b; Z ∧ a = 48°.","Volcanic fumarole.","Type material is deposited in the collections of the collections of the Fersman Mineralogical Museum of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia, registration number 4363\u002F1.\r\n","(NH4)CdCl3 structure type.\r\n\r\nThe structure is based on almost planar and discrete [Cu2+2Cl6] dimers. There are also KCl9 polyhedra that share faces to form interrupted layers; the layers are linked to each other by the common edges of the K-bearing po...","The mineral is named from the Latin \u003Cem>sanguis\u003C\u002Fem> (blood), alluding to its color.","2025-08-11 12:15:10",[],[],[88],{"id":89,"name":90,"entrytype":9,"csystem":91,"ima_formula":92,"mindat_formula":92,"hmin":36,"hmax":36,"dmeas":93,"dcalc":11,"primary_image_id":11},46109,"Flinteite","Orthorhombic","K\u003Csub>2\u003C\u002Fsub>ZnCl\u003Csub>4\u003C\u002Fsub>","2.49",[],[96],{"id":97,"txt":98,"latitude":99,"longitude":100,"country":101},248464,"Glavnaya Tenoritovaya fumarole (Major Tenorite), Second scoria cone, Northern Breakthrough (North Breach), Great Fissure eruption (Main Fracture), Tolbachik Volcanic field, Milkovsky District, Kamchatka Krai, Russia",55.6833333,160.2333333,"Russia",[103,107,111,115],{"id":104,"year":105,"html":106,"doi":11},16139577,1963,"Willett, Roger D.; Dwiggins, Claudius, Jr.; Kruh, R. F.; Rundle, R. E. (1963): Crystal Structures of KCuCl\u003Csub>3\u003C\u002Fsub> and NH\u003Csub>4\u003C\u002Fsub>CuCl\u003Csub>3\u003C\u002Fsub>. Journal of Chemical Physics: 38: 2429-2436.",{"id":108,"year":23,"html":109,"doi":110},244434,"Williams, P. A., Hatert, F., Pasero, M., Mills, S. J. (2013) New minerals and nomenclature modifications approved in 2013. CNMNC Newsletter No 16. \u003Ci>Mineralogical Magazine\u003C\u002Fi>,  77 (6) 2695-2709 \u003Ca target='_blank' href='https:\u002F\u002Fdoi.org\u002F10.1180\u002Fminmag.2013.077.6.01'>doi:10.1180\u002Fminmag.2013.077.6.01\u003C\u002Fa>","10.1180\u002Fminmag.2013.077.6.01",{"id":112,"year":24,"html":113,"doi":114},65275,"Pekov, Igor V., Zubkova, Natalia V., Belakovskiy, Dmitry I., Lykova, Inna S., Yapaskurt, Vasiliy O., Vigasina, Marina F., Sidorov, Evgeny G., Pushcharovsky, Dmitry Yu. (2015) Sanguite, KCuCl\u003Csub>3\u003C\u002Fsub>, A New Mineral From the Tolbachik Volcano, Kamchatka, Russia. \u003Ci>The Canadian Mineralogist\u003C\u002Fi>,  53 (4) 633-641 \u003Ca target='_blank' href='https:\u002F\u002Fdoi.org\u002F10.3749\u002Fcanmin.1500012'>doi:10.3749\u002Fcanmin.1500012\u003C\u002Fa> \u003Ca target='_blank' href='https:\u002F\u002Frruff.info\u002Frruff_1.0\u002Fuploads\u002FCM53_633.pdf' class='refpdflink'>\u003C\u002Fa>","10.3749\u002Fcanmin.1500012",{"id":116,"year":117,"html":118,"doi":11},16967138,2017,"(2017) Sanguite. \u003Ci>Handbook of Mineralogy\u003C\u002Fi>. Mineralogical Society of America \u003Ca target='_blank' href='https:\u002F\u002Fwww.handbookofmineralogy.org\u002Fpdfs\u002Fsanguite.pdf' class='refpdflink'>\u003C\u002Fa>",[120,130,138,146,156,166,171,179,188,196,203,211],{"id":121,"source_url":122,"license_code":123,"credit_html":124,"title":125,"description":126,"author":127,"original_width":128,"original_height":129},64016,"https:\u002F\u002Fcommons.wikimedia.org\u002F?curid=161256649","CC BY 2.0","James St. John, via \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcommons.wikimedia.org\u002F?curid=161256649\" rel=\"noopener\">Wikimedia Commons\u003C\u002Fa>","Lazuritic-pyritic marble (Sar-e-Sang Deposit, Sakhi Formation, Precambrian, 2.4-2.7 Ga (?); Sar-e-Sang Mining District, Hindu-Kush Mountains, Afghanistan) 2.jpg","Lazuritic-pyritic marble from the Precambrian of Afghanistan. (~3.7 centimeters across at its widest)\n\u003Cp>Blue = lazurite\nWhitish = calcite\nBrassy gold specks = pyrite\n\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Lapis lazuli is a beautiful and rare metamorphic rock that's been valued as a gemstone for thousands of years.  The highest-quality lapis lazuli deposit on Earth is in northeastern Afghanistan.  The name \"lapis lazuli\" is Latin and Persian for “heaven stone”, or “sky stone”, or “blue stone”.  Lapis lazuli is dominated by the deep-blue mineral lazurite, which is a sodalite-group feldspathoid - (Na,Ca)8(AlSiO4)6(SO4,S,Cl)2.  Commonly, whitish calcite (CaCO3) and brassy-colored pyrite (FeS2) are present.  In this sample, the calcite component is high enough to call it a lazuritic-pyritic marble.  Lazurite is one of the most intensely-blue mineral known.  The intensity of the blue color in lazurite has been attributed to the sulfur and calcium content.\n\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Lapis lazuli is known from elsewhere in the world, but northeastern Afghanistan is the classic locality, where it has been reportedly mined for at least 7000 years.  In ancient times, lapis lazuli was referred to as “sapphire”.  Pliny the Elder's 37-volume work Naturalis Historiae (\"Natural History\"), written in the ~70s A.D., refers to Afghani lapis lazuli as “sappiri”, and notes that it has glistening dots of gold in it - see his book 37.\n\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Afghani lapis lazuli comes from the Sar-e-Sang Deposit, a ~1 to 8 meter thick and ~20 to 450 meter long occurrence consisting of north-south trending veins, lenses, and layers of lapis lazuli within marble.  Stratigraphically, this is the Precambrian-aged Sakhi Formation.  The lapis lazuli rocks in this area formed under complex metamorphic conditions, apparently including high-grade, prograde metamorphism and retrograde metamorphism (Turner & Groat, 2022).  Precursor rocks were limestones and evaporites.\n\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>The lapis lazuli mines of northeastern Afghanistan are some of the most difficult-to-access localities in the world, occurring along steep slopes of deeply carved, narrow river canyons in the Hindu-Kush Mountains.  The Sar-e-Sang Mining District occurs about 1500 feet above the water level of the Sar-e-Sang River (a west-flowing tributary of the Kokcha River).  Mine access is only via narrow foot trails.  Regarding this area, British Army Lieutenant John Wood famously said in 1837: “If you do not wish to die, avoid the Valley of Kokcha.”\n\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Stratigraphy: marble member, Sakhi Formation, Anglich Group, Sar-e-Sang Series, Late Archean to early Paleoproterozoic (?), ~2.4 to 2.7 Ga metamorphic date (the chronometric age comes from dating inferred correlative rocks in Pamir in adjacent Tajikhistan)\n\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Geologic context: eastern limb of the Kokcha Anticline, Fayzabad Metamorphic Massif, South Badakhshan Block\n\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Locality: Sar-e-Sang Mining District, above the lowermost reaches of the Sar-e-Sang River, northern Kuran Wa Munjan District, southern Badakhshan Province, northern flanks of the western Hindu-Kush Mountains, northeastern Afghanistan (the Sar-e-Sang Mine adits are apparently in the vicinity of 36° 12.2’ to 36° 14.14’ North latitude, 70° 47.85’ to 70° 48.63’ East longitude)\n\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Chr>\n\u003Cp>Reference cited:\n\u003C\u002Fp>\nTurner, D. & L.E. Groat.  2022.  Geology and Mineralogy of Gemstones.  American Geophysical Union & John Wiley and Sons, Incorporated.  Washington D.C. & Hoboken, New Jersey.  268 pp.","James St. John",2243,1559,{"id":131,"source_url":132,"license_code":123,"credit_html":133,"title":134,"description":135,"author":127,"original_width":136,"original_height":137},64017,"https:\u002F\u002Fcommons.wikimedia.org\u002F?curid=161256657","James St. John, via \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcommons.wikimedia.org\u002F?curid=161256657\" rel=\"noopener\">Wikimedia Commons\u003C\u002Fa>","Lazuritic-pyritic marble (Sar-e-Sang Deposit, Sakhi Formation, Precambrian, 2.4-2.7 Ga (?); Sar-e-Sang Mining District, Hindu-Kush Mountains, Afghanistan) 5.jpg","Lazuritic-pyritic marble from the Precambrian of Afghanistan. (~3.3 centimeters across at its widest)\n\u003Cp>Blue = lazurite\nWhitish = calcite\nBrassy gold specks = pyrite\n\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Lapis lazuli is a beautiful and rare metamorphic rock that's been valued as a gemstone for thousands of years.  The highest-quality lapis lazuli deposit on Earth is in northeastern Afghanistan.  The name \"lapis lazuli\" is Latin and Persian for “heaven stone”, or “sky stone”, or “blue stone”.  Lapis lazuli is dominated by the deep-blue mineral lazurite, which is a sodalite-group feldspathoid - (Na,Ca)8(AlSiO4)6(SO4,S,Cl)2.  Commonly, whitish calcite (CaCO3) and brassy-colored pyrite (FeS2) are present.  In this sample, the calcite component is high enough to call it a lazuritic-pyritic marble.  Lazurite is one of the most intensely-blue mineral known.  The intensity of the blue color in lazurite has been attributed to the sulfur and calcium content.\n\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Lapis lazuli is known from elsewhere in the world, but northeastern Afghanistan is the classic locality, where it has been reportedly mined for at least 7000 years.  In ancient times, lapis lazuli was referred to as “sapphire”.  Pliny the Elder's 37-volume work Naturalis Historiae (\"Natural History\"), written in the ~70s A.D., refers to Afghani lapis lazuli as “sappiri”, and notes that it has glistening dots of gold in it - see his book 37.\n\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Afghani lapis lazuli comes from the Sar-e-Sang Deposit, a ~1 to 8 meter thick and ~20 to 450 meter long occurrence consisting of north-south trending veins, lenses, and layers of lapis lazuli within marble.  Stratigraphically, this is the Precambrian-aged Sakhi Formation.  The lapis lazuli rocks in this area formed under complex metamorphic conditions, apparently including high-grade, prograde metamorphism and retrograde metamorphism (Turner & Groat, 2022).  Precursor rocks were limestones and evaporites.\n\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>The lapis lazuli mines of northeastern Afghanistan are some of the most difficult-to-access localities in the world, occurring along steep slopes of deeply carved, narrow river canyons in the Hindu-Kush Mountains.  The Sar-e-Sang Mining District occurs about 1500 feet above the water level of the Sar-e-Sang River (a west-flowing tributary of the Kokcha River).  Mine access is only via narrow foot trails.  Regarding this area, British Army Lieutenant John Wood famously said in 1837: “If you do not wish to die, avoid the Valley of Kokcha.”\n\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Stratigraphy: marble member, Sakhi Formation, Anglich Group, Sar-e-Sang Series, Late Archean to early Paleoproterozoic (?), ~2.4 to 2.7 Ga metamorphic date (the chronometric age comes from dating inferred correlative rocks in Pamir in adjacent Tajikhistan)\n\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Geologic context: eastern limb of the Kokcha Anticline, Fayzabad Metamorphic Massif, South Badakhshan Block\n\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Locality: Sar-e-Sang Mining District, above the lowermost reaches of the Sar-e-Sang River, northern Kuran Wa Munjan District, southern Badakhshan Province, northern flanks of the western Hindu-Kush Mountains, northeastern Afghanistan (the Sar-e-Sang Mine adits are apparently in the vicinity of 36° 12.2’ to 36° 14.14’ North latitude, 70° 47.85’ to 70° 48.63’ East longitude)\n\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Chr>\n\u003Cp>Reference cited:\n\u003C\u002Fp>\nTurner, D. & L.E. Groat.  2022.  Geology and Mineralogy of Gemstones.  American Geophysical Union & John Wiley and Sons, Incorporated.  Washington D.C. & Hoboken, New Jersey.  268 pp.",2101,2039,{"id":139,"source_url":140,"license_code":123,"credit_html":141,"title":142,"description":143,"author":127,"original_width":144,"original_height":145},64018,"https:\u002F\u002Fcommons.wikimedia.org\u002F?curid=161256671","James St. John, via \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcommons.wikimedia.org\u002F?curid=161256671\" rel=\"noopener\">Wikimedia Commons\u003C\u002Fa>","Lazuritic-pyritic marble (Sar-e-Sang Deposit, Sakhi Formation, Precambrian, 2.4-2.7 Ga (?); Sar-e-Sang Mining District, Hindu-Kush Mountains, Afghanistan) 10.jpg","Lazuritic-pyritic marble from the Precambrian of Afghanistan. (~3.15 centimeters across at its widest)\n\u003Cp>Blue = lazurite\nWhitish = calcite\nBrassy gold specks = pyrite\n\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Lapis lazuli is a beautiful and rare metamorphic rock that's been valued as a gemstone for thousands of years.  The highest-quality lapis lazuli deposit on Earth is in northeastern Afghanistan.  The name \"lapis lazuli\" is Latin and Persian for “heaven stone”, or “sky stone”, or “blue stone”.  Lapis lazuli is dominated by the deep-blue mineral lazurite, which is a sodalite-group feldspathoid - (Na,Ca)8(AlSiO4)6(SO4,S,Cl)2.  Commonly, whitish calcite (CaCO3) and brassy-colored pyrite (FeS2) are present.  In this sample, the calcite component is probably high enough to call it a lazuritic-pyritic marble.  Lazurite is one of the most intensely-blue mineral known.  The intensity of the blue color in lazurite has been attributed to the sulfur and calcium content.\n\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Lapis lazuli is known from elsewhere in the world, but northeastern Afghanistan is the classic locality, where it has been reportedly mined for at least 7000 years.  In ancient times, lapis lazuli was referred to as “sapphire”.  Pliny the Elder's 37-volume work Naturalis Historiae (\"Natural History\"), written in the ~70s A.D., refers to Afghani lapis lazuli as “sappiri”, and notes that it has glistening dots of gold in it - see his book 37.\n\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Afghani lapis lazuli comes from the Sar-e-Sang Deposit, a ~1 to 8 meter thick and ~20 to 450 meter long occurrence consisting of north-south trending veins, lenses, and layers of lapis lazuli within marble.  Stratigraphically, this is the Precambrian-aged Sakhi Formation.  The lapis lazuli rocks in this area formed under complex metamorphic conditions, apparently including high-grade, prograde metamorphism and retrograde metamorphism (Turner & Groat, 2022).  Precursor rocks were limestones and evaporites.\n\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>The lapis lazuli mines of northeastern Afghanistan are some of the most difficult-to-access localities in the world, occurring along steep slopes of deeply carved, narrow river canyons in the Hindu-Kush Mountains.  The Sar-e-Sang Mining District occurs about 1500 feet above the water level of the Sar-e-Sang River (a west-flowing tributary of the Kokcha River).  Mine access is only via narrow foot trails.  Regarding this area, British Army Lieutenant John Wood famously said in 1837: “If you do not wish to die, avoid the Valley of Kokcha.”\n\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Stratigraphy: marble member, Sakhi Formation, Anglich Group, Sar-e-Sang Series, Late Archean to early Paleoproterozoic (?), ~2.4 to 2.7 Ga metamorphic date (the chronometric age comes from dating inferred correlative rocks in Pamir in adjacent Tajikhistan)\n\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Geologic context: eastern limb of the Kokcha Anticline, Fayzabad Metamorphic Massif, South Badakhshan Block\n\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Locality: Sar-e-Sang Mining District, above the lowermost reaches of the Sar-e-Sang River, northern Kuran Wa Munjan District, southern Badakhshan Province, northern flanks of the western Hindu-Kush Mountains, northeastern Afghanistan (the Sar-e-Sang Mine adits are apparently in the vicinity of 36° 12.2’ to 36° 14.14’ North latitude, 70° 47.85’ to 70° 48.63’ East longitude)\n\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Chr>\n\u003Cp>Reference cited:\n\u003C\u002Fp>\nTurner, D. & L.E. Groat.  2022.  Geology and Mineralogy of Gemstones.  American Geophysical Union & John Wiley and Sons, Incorporated.  Washington D.C. & Hoboken, New Jersey.  268 pp.",1974,2063,{"id":147,"source_url":148,"license_code":149,"credit_html":150,"title":151,"description":152,"author":153,"original_width":154,"original_height":155},85961,"https:\u002F\u002Fcommons.wikimedia.org\u002F?curid=17758718","CC BY-SA 3.0","Géry PARENT, via \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcommons.wikimedia.org\u002F?curid=17758718\" rel=\"noopener\">Wikimedia Commons\u003C\u002Fa>","Scapolite.jpg","scapolite : Ladjuar Medam (Lajur Madan; Lapis-lazuli Mine; Lapis-lazuli deposit), Sar-e Sang (Sar Sang; Sary Sang), Koksha Valley (Kokscha Valley; Kokcha Valley), Khash & Kuran Wa Munjan Districts, Badakhshan Province (Badakshan Province; Badahsan Province), Afghanistan","Géry PARENT",3281,2698,{"id":157,"source_url":158,"license_code":159,"credit_html":160,"title":161,"description":162,"author":163,"original_width":164,"original_height":165},317,"https:\u002F\u002Fcommons.wikimedia.org\u002F?curid=130003528","CC BY-SA 4.0","Raimond Spekking, via \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcommons.wikimedia.org\u002F?curid=130003528\" rel=\"noopener\">Wikimedia Commons\u003C\u002Fa>","Afghanite. Sur-e-Sang, Badakshan, Afghanistan-9071.jpg","\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fen.wikipedia.org\u002Fwiki\u002FAfghanite\" class=\"extiw\" title=\"en:Afghanite\">Afghanite\u003C\u002Fa> (Weight: 9.6 g) – Place of discovery: Sar-e-Sang, Badakshan, Afghanistan","Raimond Spekking",3849,2887,{"id":167,"source_url":168,"license_code":159,"credit_html":169,"title":170,"description":162,"author":163,"original_width":164,"original_height":165},318,"https:\u002F\u002Fcommons.wikimedia.org\u002F?curid=130003532","Raimond Spekking, via \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcommons.wikimedia.org\u002F?curid=130003532\" rel=\"noopener\">Wikimedia Commons\u003C\u002Fa>","Afghanite. Sur-e-Sang, Badakshan, Afghanistan-9072.jpg",{"id":172,"source_url":173,"license_code":123,"credit_html":174,"title":175,"description":176,"author":127,"original_width":177,"original_height":178},21695,"https:\u002F\u002Fcommons.wikimedia.org\u002F?curid=84626919","James St. John, via \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcommons.wikimedia.org\u002F?curid=84626919\" rel=\"noopener\">Wikimedia Commons\u003C\u002Fa>","Lazurite after scapolite (Sar-e-Sang Mines, Kokcha Valley, Badakhshan, Afghanistan) (30141933700).jpg","\u003Cp>Lazurite after scapolite from Afghanistan.\n\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>A mineral is a naturally-occurring, solid, inorganic, crystalline substance having a fairly definite chemical composition and having fairly definite physical properties.  At its simplest, a mineral is a naturally-occurring solid chemical.  Currently, there are over 5500 named and described minerals - about 200 of them are common and about 20 of them are very common.  Mineral classification is based on anion chemistry.  Major categories of minerals are: elements, sulfides, oxides, halides, carbonates, sulfates, phosphates, and silicates.\n\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>The silicates are the most abundant and chemically complex group of minerals.  All silicates have silica as the basis for their chemistry.  \"Silica\" refers to SiO2 chemistry.  The fundamental molecular unit of silica is one small silicon atom surrounded by four large oxygen atoms in the shape of a triangular pyramid - this is the silica tetrahedron - SiO4.  Each oxygen atom is shared by two silicon atoms, so only half of the four oxygens \"belong\" to each silicon.  The resulting formula for silica is thus SiO2, not SiO4.\n\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Lazurite is one of several silicate minerals called \"feldspathoids\".  Feldspathoids are chemically similar to the feldspars, but they have far less silica (SiO2) and end up enriched in sodium and\u002For potassium (typically).  Lazurite is a rare feldspathoid that is famous for its blue coloration.  It has the moderately complex chemical formula (Na,Ca)8(AlSiO4)6(SO4,S,Cl)2 - sodium calcium aluminosilicate-sulfate-sulfide-chloride.  Lazurite has a nonmetallic luster, is blue to slightly purplish blue in color, and has a hardness of about 5 to 5.5.  Lazurite tends to occur in contact metamorphic rocks.  Sometimes, lazurite is a rock-forming mineral and forms \"lapis lazuli\" (see: <a href=\"\u003Ca rel=\"nofollow\" class=\"external free\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.flickr.com\u002Fphotos\u002Fjsjgeology\u002Falbums\u002F72157646941999842\">https:\u002F\u002Fwww.flickr.com\u002Fphotos\u002Fjsjgeology\u002Falbums\u002F72157646941999842\u003C\u002Fa>\">www.flickr.com\u002Fphotos\u002Fjsjgeology\u002Falbums\u002F72157646941999842<\u002Fa>).\n\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>The specimen shown above consists of blue-colored lazurite pseudomorphs after scapolite.  Pseudomorphs are minerals that have replaced other minerals, while retaining the crystal shape of the original mineral.  Scapolite is a sodium calcium chloro-aluminosilicate mineral ((Na,Ca)4(Al3Si9O24)Cl).\n\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Locality: Sar-e-Sang Mines, ~1500 feet above river water level, Sar-e-Sang Mining District, above the near-lowermost stretch of the Sar-e-Sang River (= west-flowing tributary of the Kokcha River), 5 kilometer stretch on the eastern side of the Kokcha River between the town of Koran-o-Munjan (to the south) & the village of Robat-e-Payan (to the north), ~100 kilometers south-southeast of Fayzabad, Kokcha River Valley, northern flanks of the western Hindu-Kush Mountains, northern Kuran Wa Munjan District, southern Badakhshan Province, northeastern Afghanistan (location of Sar-e-Sang Mine adits: approximately 36° 12.2’ to 36° 14.14’ North latitude & 70° 47.85’ to 70° 48.63’ East longitude)\n\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Chr>\n\u003Cp>Photo gallery of lazurite:\n\u003C\u002Fp>\n<a href=\"\u003Ca rel=\"nofollow\" class=\"external free\" href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fwww.mindat.org\u002Fgallery.php?min=2357\">http:\u002F\u002Fwww.mindat.org\u002Fgallery.php?min=2357\u003C\u002Fa>\" rel=\"noreferrer nofollow\">www.mindat.org\u002Fgallery.php?min=2357<\u002Fa>",2028,1260,{"id":180,"source_url":181,"license_code":149,"credit_html":182,"title":183,"description":184,"author":185,"original_width":186,"original_height":187},31437,"https:\u002F\u002Fcommons.wikimedia.org\u002F?curid=17975509","Parent Géry, via \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcommons.wikimedia.org\u002F?curid=17975509\" rel=\"noopener\">Wikimedia Commons\u003C\u002Fa>","Lazurite, afghanite et pyrite sur calcite (Sar-e-Sang, Koksha Valley, Badakshan - Afghanistan).jpg","afghanite,  haüyne, haüyne var. lazurite, pyrite, calcite : Ladjuar Medam (Lajur Madan ; Lapis-lazuli Mine) Sar-e-Sang District, Koksha Valley (Kokscha Valley ; Kokcha Valley), Badakhshan Province (Badakshan Province ; Badahsan Province), Afghanistan","Parent Géry",3944,2848,{"id":189,"source_url":190,"license_code":149,"credit_html":191,"title":192,"description":193,"author":185,"original_width":194,"original_height":195},31438,"https:\u002F\u002Fcommons.wikimedia.org\u002F?curid=17975513","Parent Géry, via \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcommons.wikimedia.org\u002F?curid=17975513\" rel=\"noopener\">Wikimedia Commons\u003C\u002Fa>","Lazurite, afghanite et pyrite sur calcite (Sar-e-Sang, Koksha Valley, Badakshan - Afghanistan) 1.jpg","lazurite, afghanite, pyrite",3852,2799,{"id":197,"source_url":198,"license_code":149,"credit_html":199,"title":200,"description":184,"author":185,"original_width":201,"original_height":202},31439,"https:\u002F\u002Fcommons.wikimedia.org\u002F?curid=17975515","Parent Géry, via \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcommons.wikimedia.org\u002F?curid=17975515\" rel=\"noopener\">Wikimedia Commons\u003C\u002Fa>","Lazurite, afghanite et pyrite sur calcite Sar-e-Sang, Koksha Valley, Badakshan - Afghanistan) 2.jpg",3313,2630,{"id":204,"source_url":205,"license_code":123,"credit_html":206,"title":207,"description":208,"author":127,"original_width":209,"original_height":210},64019,"https:\u002F\u002Fcommons.wikimedia.org\u002F?curid=161256682","James St. John, via \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcommons.wikimedia.org\u002F?curid=161256682\" rel=\"noopener\">Wikimedia Commons\u003C\u002Fa>","Lapis lazuli (lazuritic metamorphite) (Sar-e-Sang Deposit, Sakhi Formation, Precambrian, 2.4-2.7 Ga (?); Sar-e-Sang Mining District, Hindu-Kush Mountains, Afghanistan) 15.jpg","Lapis lazuli (lazuritic metamorphite) from the Precambrian of Afghanistan. (~2.8 centimeters across at its widest)\n\u003Cp>Blue = lazurite\nWhitish = calcite\nBrassy gold specks = pyrite\n\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Lapis lazuli is a beautiful and rare metamorphic rock that's been valued as a gemstone for thousands of years.  The highest-quality lapis lazuli deposit on Earth is in northeastern Afghanistan.  The name \"lapis lazuli\" is Latin and Persian for “heaven stone”, or “sky stone”, or “blue stone”.  Lapis lazuli is dominated by the deep-blue mineral lazurite, which is a sodalite-group feldspathoid - (Na,Ca)8(AlSiO4)6(SO4,S,Cl)2.  Commonly, whitish calcite (CaCO3) and brassy-colored pyrite (FeS2) are present.  Lazurite is one of the most intensely-blue mineral known.  The intensity of the blue color in lazurite has been attributed to the sulfur and calcium content.\n\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Lapis lazuli is known from elsewhere in the world, but northeastern Afghanistan is the classic locality, where it has been reportedly mined for at least 7000 years.  In ancient times, lapis lazuli was referred to as “sapphire”.  Pliny the Elder's 37-volume work Naturalis Historiae (\"Natural History\"), written in the ~70s A.D., refers to Afghani lapis lazuli as “sappiri”, and notes that it has glistening dots of gold in it - see his book 37.\n\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Afghani lapis lazuli comes from the Sar-e-Sang Deposit, a ~1 to 8 meter thick and ~20 to 450 meter long occurrence consisting of north-south trending veins, lenses, and layers of lapis lazuli within marble.  Stratigraphically, this is the Precambrian-aged Sakhi Formation.  The lapis lazuli rocks in this area formed under complex metamorphic conditions, apparently including high-grade, prograde metamorphism and retrograde metamorphism (Turner & Groat, 2022).  Precursor rocks were limestones and evaporites.\n\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>The lapis lazuli mines of northeastern Afghanistan are some of the most difficult-to-access localities in the world, occurring along steep slopes of deeply carved, narrow river canyons in the Hindu-Kush Mountains.  The Sar-e-Sang Mining District occurs about 1500 feet above the water level of the Sar-e-Sang River (a west-flowing tributary of the Kokcha River).  Mine access is only via narrow foot trails.  Regarding this area, British Army Lieutenant John Wood famously said in 1837: “If you do not wish to die, avoid the Valley of Kokcha.”\n\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Stratigraphy: marble member, Sakhi Formation, Anglich Group, Sar-e-Sang Series, Late Archean to early Paleoproterozoic (?), ~2.4 to 2.7 Ga metamorphic date (the chronometric age comes from dating inferred correlative rocks in Pamir in adjacent Tajikhistan)\n\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Geologic context: eastern limb of the Kokcha Anticline, Fayzabad Metamorphic Massif, South Badakhshan Block\n\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Locality: Sar-e-Sang Mining District, above the lowermost reaches of the Sar-e-Sang River, northern Kuran Wa Munjan District, southern Badakhshan Province, northern flanks of the western Hindu-Kush Mountains, northeastern Afghanistan (the Sar-e-Sang Mine adits are apparently in the vicinity of 36° 12.2’ to 36° 14.14’ North latitude, 70° 47.85’ to 70° 48.63’ East longitude)\n\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Chr>\n\u003Cp>Reference cited:\n\u003C\u002Fp>\nTurner, D. & L.E. Groat.  2022.  Geology and Mineralogy of Gemstones.  American Geophysical Union & John Wiley and Sons, Incorporated.  Washington D.C. & Hoboken, New Jersey.  268 pp.",1823,1315,{"id":212,"source_url":213,"license_code":149,"credit_html":214,"title":215,"description":216,"author":185,"original_width":217,"original_height":218},73827,"https:\u002F\u002Fcommons.wikimedia.org\u002F?curid=17975514","Parent Géry, via \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcommons.wikimedia.org\u002F?curid=17975514\" rel=\"noopener\">Wikimedia Commons\u003C\u002Fa>","Lazurite et phlogopite sur calcite (Sar-e-Sang, Koksha Valley, Badakshan - Afghanistan) 2.jpg","lazurite, pyrite, mica var. phlogopite, calcite : Sar-e-Sang (Sar Sang ; Sary Sang), Koksha Valley (Kokscha Valley ; Kokcha Valley), Khash & Kuran Wa Munjan Districts, Badakhshan Province (Badakshan Province ; Badahsan Province),  Afghanistan",3804,2470,[220],{"id":221,"url":222,"label":223,"formula":224,"spacegroup":225,"year":105},12370,"\u002Fcif\u002F12370.cif","Willett 1963","K Cu Cl3","P 21\u002Fc",[227,228],"IMA2013-002","Sanguiet",[230,236,240,243],{"lang":231,"names":232},"ca",[233,234,235],"IMA 2013-002","sang","sanguita",{"lang":237,"names":238},"de",[233,239],"sanguit",{"lang":241,"names":242},"fr",[233],{"lang":244,"names":245},"it",[233,246],"sanguite","Q19861254",{"history":11,"applications":11}]