Lazurite, Sar-e-Sang, Badakhshan, Afghanistan

The Sar-e-Sang deposit in the Hindu-Kush Mountains of Afghanistan is, perhaps, the oldest mine in the world, having been worked for 7000 years! The lapis lazuli used in ancient Egypt was derived from Sar-e-Sang. This lazurite crystal is one of many great minerals that come from the same locality. This crystal is a beast - measuring 4.5 cm x 3.5 cm - and is sitting proudly atop of white marble. The specimen has a nice deep blue colour and is well crystallized on one side. Admittedly, the other side is poorly formed but still has great colour. This one is hard to miss and really stands out when on display. From an older collection so this probably came to market in the 1990s or early 2000s. With an explosives ban in Afghanistan miners are struggling to bring new specimens to market so here is a good opportunity to acquire a large piece. Ex Bill Rouslin collection. From: Sar-e-Sang, Badakhshan, Afghanistan. Dimensions: 9 cm x 5.5 cm x 6 cm