Lapis lazuli from mine 4

[Shakeb Afzal]

How much is the besttt lapis from mine 4 (Badakshan) worth per kilo?

 

[huntsman53]

How much is the besttt lapis from mine 4 (Badakshan) worth per kilo?

Since the mining and selling of Lapis from Badakshan has been deemed illegal, it is hard to say where it could be sold and at what price. I know that here in the U.S., one would not want to be caught with Lapis that could be proven that it came from the Badakshan Province. It seems that most of the mines in the Province are again controlled by the Taliban.


Frank

 

[Shakeb Afzal]

I remember reading about that around this time of the last year. Is it still illegal around other countries? And neverthless what would it be worth.

 

[huntsman53]

I remember reading about that around this time of the last year. Is it still illegal around other countries? And neverthless what would it be worth.

I have no idea as to which and how many countries deem the importation and sell a Lapis from Badakshan as illegal. If you could find a Buyer for it, the prices at the link below might help but considering that it may be considered illegal, they would likely try to low-ball you on the Lapis.

https://www.gemrockauctions.com/auctions/lapis-lazuli/lapis-lazuli-rough/


Frank

 

[Shakeb Afzal]

Thanks for the help.

 

[Charlie P. (NY)]

$100 US per kilo according to this site.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/488544...MI3vHI5ICl1QIV2YWzCh1PLgqEEAQYAyABEgK0OvD_BwE

 

[Clay Diggins]

I doubt buying Lapis is illegal. I'd have to see that law.

The Taliban are reputedly blasting Lapis out of the mines. This may produce a lot of pretty Lapis for the market but that Lapis will have no marketable value if it's been subject to explosives. Lapis is not a tough stone and it will develop many fine cracks when "mined" with explosives. In that circumstance a kilo of Lapis would be worth virtually nothing on the semi precious gem market.

Caveat Emptor (Buyer Beware)

 

[The_Piratess]

ANYTHING that comes from the Taliban should be illegal! Anyone (including world leaders and politicians) who knowingly profit off of anything from the Taliban should be executed for crimes against humanity!

 

[mmhgloba]

Do you have any photos of the your lapis?

 

[Deft Tones]

I doubt buying Lapis is illegal. I'd have to see that law.

The Taliban are reputedly blasting Lapis out of the mines. This may produce a lot of pretty Lapis for the market but that Lapis will have no marketable value if it's been subject to explosives. Lapis is not a tough stone and it will develop many fine cracks when "mined" with explosives. In that circumstance a kilo of Lapis would be worth virtually nothing on the semi precious gem market.

Caveat Emptor (Buyer Beware)

I think it would still be valuable as a pigment no matter how it's mined. As such it undergoes a refining process then is milled into powder anyway. The powder is sold as bulk pigment. Paints that contain lapis are very beautiful, long lasting and expensive... no modern paint can reproduce it, so there is a market in the world. I know of one US paint manufacturer that sells what they claim is lapis, but I don't think it looks like it did in midevil paint at all.

 

[Clay Diggins]

High quality "gem" Lapis is worth upwards of $90 a gram. True gem Lapis is extremely rare. Unless you are an expert there is no way to determine a market value of individual stones. The explosive "mined" better quality lapis coming out of Afghanistan today is selling for less than $1 a gram - $30 a pound - $70 a kilo. Explosive mining has knocked the price range way down on newly mined Lapis.

The natural Lapis paint pigments are expensive. These are hand worked pigments and the processing is the majority of the cost of production. Unfortunately the demand is so low that the huge quantities of fractured Lapis coming out of Afghanistan today will never be absorbed by the pigment industry.

 

[Eu_citzen]

Last year I paid about 100$/kg for high grade stuff. In the weekend there is a mineral fair in town, I'll have to see how the prices changed.

Lapis as a pigment is rarely used, in fact its mostly used in restoration due to the high price it commands.
Instead there are synthetic ultramarines we use for arts as a budget alternative..

 

[Eu_citzen]

For smaller lots current prices are approx 1.3$/g. A kilo would still be close to 100$. And we're talking gemmy stuff here.

 

[Upnorth42]

For smaller lots current prices are approx 1.3$/g. A kilo would still be close to 100$. And we're talking gemmy stuff here.

Not sure if I am misreading this. If it is 1.3$/g or 1.3 dollars per gram a kilogram would be $1,300.

I do have a nice piece of lapis lazuli that I bought when I was in Afghanistan. It is a very nice dark blue not the paler stuff I often see. It weighs a bit over 5 pounds and the guy wanted $360 USD for it. After some bargaining I bought it for $100 USD. He had two other pieces of a similar quality and size. I went back to get more a week later and there was none of the same quality. I tried to get more several times but all I saw was low quality stuff so I did not buy any more.