Bismuth Vs. Lazurite

Bismuth is a popular mineral composed of bismuth.^[1] Lazurite is also a popular mineral and its chemical composition is sodium calcium aluminum silicate.^[2]

Quick Facts on Differences of Bismuth and Lazurite

For a quick recap of the differences bismuth and lazurite:

• While both bismuth and lazurite is opaque, lazurite can be translucent.
• For chemical formulas, bismuth is Bi while lazurite is Na6Ca2Al6Si6O24S2.
• In terms of luster, bismuth is metallic while lazurite can be dull, greasy, vitreous or waxy.
• Bismuth streaks silver-white while lazurite streaks blue.
• Bismuth can be commonly gray while lazurite can be commonly blue.
• Bismuth's rarity is less rare than lazurite.
• Bismuth's specific gravity is higher than lazurite - bismuth ranges from 9.7 to 9.8 and lazurite ranges from 2.4 to 2.5.

Summary of Bismuth

Bismuth is a chemical element with the symbol Bi and atomic number 83. It is a dense, silvery-white metal with a pinkish tint. Bismuth is a brittle metal and is easily crushed into a powder. It is a post-transition metal, meaning it is located in the lower right-hand corner of the periodic table. Bismuth is commonly found in nature as a sulfide or oxide mineral.

Summary of Lazurite

Lazurite is a blue mineral that is typically found in igneous rocks such as lapis lazuli. It has a chemical composition of (Na,Ca)8(AlSiO4)6(S,SO4,Cl)2 and is a member of the sodalite group. The mineral is often used as a decorative stone due to its vibrant blue color, and it is also used in the production of pigments for paints and dyes.

Table Comparison of Bismuth vs Lazurite