Sodalite Properties, Facts and Photos

What is Sodalite?

Sodalite is a captivating natural mineral known for its distinctive blue colour. Stones often feature white, grey or orange markings.

Although sodalite is not used in industry, it’s highly valued for its decorative appeal and metaphysical healing properties.

Due to its rich blue hue, sodalite is often mistaken for lapis lazuli. However, they’re two distinct stones. Sodalite is a single mineral, lapis lazuli is a metamorphic rock composed of several minerals, including sodalite, calcite and pyrite.

Although sodalite is best known as a blue stone, it also occurs in several other colours.

The white, grey or orange markings are believed to come from impurities of calcite or feldspar. The orange could also be from some kind of staining or oxidation.

Although known originally as orange sodalite, the trade name Sunset Sodalite has recently appeared. 

Sodalite is often used to imitate lapis lazuli because it's more widely available and less expensive.

Although sodalite does occur with pyrite, this combination is far less common than in lapis lazuli. Furthermore, pyrite inclusions in lapis also look different.
The first notable reference to sodalite was in 1806 during the Napoleonic War. It was identified when a large quantity was travelling from Greenland to Denmark.

While in transit, it caught the attention of the British, who had examined it by Scottish chemist Thomas Thomson. He subsequently named this new mineral sodalite to reflect its high sodium content.

Sodalite remained relatively unknown until 1891 when huge deposits were discovered in Bancroft, Ontario. In 1893, sodalite was displayed at The World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago.

The largest commercial sodalite deposits are in Bancroft, Ontario, Ice River, British Columbia, Litchfield, Maine, U.S.A. and Brazil.

Sodalite can also be found in smaller quantities in Greenland, Russia, Montana, India, Bolivia, Afghanistan, Namibia, Portugal, Romania, Burma and Russia.

Although often reported to be a relatively new find, I have seen articles that state sodalite was being used thousands of years ago by ancient civilisations in South America.

In the 1870s, a German geologist found blue beads along with quartz and obsidian arrowheads in the ruins of Tiahuanaco. This pre-Columbian city sits on Lake Titicaca in Bolivia. After being analysed, the beads were confirmed to be sodalite.

Sodalite Properties (geology)

Sodalite from Greenland can look very different and is mostly grey or yellow. Other vibrant colours, including blue, white, pink, green and red are also known.

Some varieties fluoresce under UV light, while others are tenebrescent. Tenebrescent minerals change colour when exposed to UV light and return to their original colour when the light source is removed.

Although the exceptional grade of this type of sodalite makes it suitable for polishing, it rarely is because it's far too rare.

The variety of sodalite that exhibits tenebrescence is known as Hackmanite.

A deposit of exceptionally fine-grade sodalite has recently been discovered in Quebec, Canada. A few polished stones from this locality are beginning to appear on the market.

On the Mohs scale of mineral hardness, sodalite grades 5.5 to 6. Being opaque, it's cut as a cabochon for gemstones and can be well polished.

Sodalite: A Royal Stone

It's widely reported that in 1901, during a visit to Canada, the Prince and Princess of Wales, who later became King George V and Queen Mary, fell in love with sodalite. They subsequently had one hundred thirty tons shipped to the UK. 

It's reported the sodalite was used to decorate Marlborough House, their home. Although I have seen documentation to confirm the shipment took place, I have not found anything that confirms the stone was used in Marlborough House.

Not long after the Prince and Princess of Wales visited Canada, the deposit where sodalite was mined became known as the Princess Sodalite Quarry.

The Princess of Wales subsequently gave the future King George V a letter opener with a sodalite handle and gold blade. It also featured other crystals and a crown at the top of the handle.

A note from her records shows that before becoming Queen Mary, the Princess of Wales also had a pair of ornate urns made from sodalite.

Article Pictures

The sodalite at the top of our article is courtesy of James St.John. 

The second photo is courtesy of Géry Parent.

The third image is Hackmanite being illuminated under UV light, courtesy of Ron Wolf.

The sodalite tumbled stones are from our collection. Pictures are clickable and redirect to the original image.

Pop-up photos: Lapis lazuli - Courtesy of Steve Blyskal. Obsidian Arrowhead - Courtesy of James St. John. Sodalite (Ontario) - Courtesy of Alan English.