What Is Sodalite? Often Mistaken for Lapis Lazuli

Sodalite is a blue mineral frequently mistaken for lapis lazuli, since both share a similarly deep blue color. They're chemically distinct, though, and one reliable way to tell them apart is under ultraviolet light: sodalite typically fluoresces a bright orange under shortwave UV, while lapis — thanks to its calcite content — doesn't show that same reaction.

Visually, sodalite tends toward a more uniform, slightly greyish-blue, and it usually lacks both the gold pyrite flecks and the white calcite veining that characterize lapis lazuli (remember, lapis is technically a rock made of several minerals, while sodalite is a single mineral). Major deposits include Brazil, Bancroft in Canada, and Namibia.