Sodalite belongs to the silicate family. It is one of the few minerals that can be found mixed with traces of white calcite. Sodalite is primarily blue, but can also be yellow, red, white and green. It is highly prized in the jewelry world.
Brief History
The name sodalite comes from the Greek “soda” meaning sodium and the suffix “ite” from “lithos” meaning stone or mineral. Its literal name therefore means salt stone or sodium stone, due to its composition.
Sodalite was discovered in the 19th century by a Scottish mineralogist named Thomas Thomson. It was later classified and recognized as an ornamental stone in 1891.
Years later, King George V’s wife, Mary de Tech, traveled to Canada for political reasons, discovered the blue stone and fell under its spell. The princess asked that the stone be imported to the United Kingdom. The Queen used sodalite to decorate her apartments at Marlborough House in London.
As a result, sodalite became increasingly popular and was imported to Europe. The high demand led to a shortage of the stone and to counter this, synthetic sodalite stones appeared in the 1970s.
Today, sodalite is still highly prized in the jewelry world.
- Color: Sodalite is a beautiful gemstone known for its deep blue color and white or gray veining. Sodalite is typically a deep blue color, ranging from a deep royal blue to a darker navy blue. It may also contain white or gray veining or flecks, which are characteristic of the stone.
- Veining: One of the distinctive characteristics of sodalite is its veining or mottling, which can resemble the patterns seen in denim. These veins are often made of minerals such as calcite or nepheline and add to the visual appeal of the stone.
- Transparency: Sodalite is usually translucent to opaque, meaning it may not allow light to pass through completely – its surface may have a shiny or matte finish, depending on how it is polished.
- Hardness: Sodalite is relatively hard with a hardness of 5.5 to 6 on the Mohs scale, making it suitable for jewelry such as cabochons and beads.
- Origin: The largest source of sodalite in the world is Bancroft, Ontario, Canada. The three largest sodalite deposits are located in Bancroft, Dungannon Township, and Hastings County, Ontario, all in Canada. For this reason, the stone is known as Canada’s gem. Minor deposits can be found in the United States, India, Namibia, Greenland, South Africa, Brazil, and Russia.
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