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Feldspathoid

Sodalite

Royal to medium blue, often with white calcite or feldspathoid patches

Blue Royal Blue
Optical properties

Optical characteristics

Ref. index
1.483 – 1.487
Luster
Vitreous to greasy
Pleochroism
None None; cubic system is isotropic.
Fluorescence
Typically strong orange fluorescence under LW UV — a key identifier.
Origins

Source localities

Brazil Brazil: Minas Gerais / Paraíba / Bahia
Significant

Major source for beryl, tourmaline, quartz, topaz, chrysoberyl and rare minerals.

25% est. supply
Afghanistan Afghanistan: Panjshir / Nuristan / Badakhshan
Significant

Known for emerald, tourmaline, kunzite, lapis lazuli and rare minerals.

20% est. supply
Canada Canada: British Columbia / NWT / Labrador
Significant ★ Top Source

Known for nephrite jade, diamonds and labradorite; Bancroft, Ontario is a classic sodalite source.

22% est. supply
Namibia Namibia: Erongo / Green Dragon area
Significant

Known for demantoid, spessartite and collector minerals.

18% est. supply
India India: Rajasthan / Odisha / Karnataka
Commercial

Historic and modern source for garnet, moonstone, corundum and other gems.

15% est. supply
Treatments

Enhancement & treatment

Color Enhancement Dyeing Dyeing artificially improves color in porous or fractured materials. Durability varies and disclosure is…
Inclusions

Inclusions & features

Zoning Color Zoning Under 10x loupe in immersion: bands or patches of deeper or lighter color arranged… Clouds Pinpoint Clouds Under 10x loupe: concentrations of extremely tiny bright dots that individually are too small…
Identification

Instruments used

10x Loupe Your most-used instrument, start every examination here UV Lamp, Long Wave and Short Wave Fluorescence exposes treatments, synthetics, and origin Refractometer Measures refractive index, the backbone of gem identification Hydrostatic Scale Measures specific gravity, works even on opaque stones High CRI Penlight Tiny concentrated white spot for field checks, inclusions, fire, and fractures