A light, relatively hard yet fragile mineral, sodalite is named after its sodium content; in mineralogy it
may be classed as a feldspathoid. Well known for its blue color, sodalite may also be grey, yellow, green, or pink and is
often mottled with white veins or patches. The more uniformly blue material is used in jewellery, where it is fashioned into
cabochons and beads. Lesser material is more often seen as facing or inlay in various applications.
Although very similar to lazurite and lapis lazuli, sodalite is never quite comparable, being a royal blue
rather than ultramarine. Sodalite also rarely contains pyrite, a common inclusion in lapis. It is further distinguished from
similar minerals by its white (rather than blue) streak.
