Lapislazuli is Chile´s national stone but its name, derived from the Latin word for stone Lapis and the Persian word for blue, azure is a reminder of how it was treasured by ancient civilizations. Deposits in Afghanistan were the source of the first lapis production in approximately 3400 B.C., which made its way by caravans through the Middle East to the Mediterranean region. Its deep blue color was considered a symbol of purity, health, luck and nobility and was used by Egyptians, Babylonians and Assyrians for carving jewels, amulets and funeral masks.

It was even once believed to have medicinal qualities and was ground to a powder that was mixed with milk and applied to boils and ulcers.

However, intensive mining over the centuries has depleted the Afghan deposits and political unrest has practically wiped out lapis mining in that country.

There are a few other minable veins in Russia, Colorado and Canada, which leaves Chile to claim the title as the world’s largest source of lapis lazuli and it all flows from one mine, Flores de los Andes.

Flores de los Andes or Flowers of the Andes, in the northern valley of Ovalle, is located some 70 kilometers deep in the Andes Mountains and at a height of 3.800 meters, only four kilometers away from the Argentinean border. The rugged terrain and high altitude weather limit extraction to the three months of southern hemisphere summer.
Ancient mountain dwellers knew of Flores de los Andes and, in spite of its remote location, the site was mined by the Incas and other pre-Columbian civilizations over one thousand years ago. The eye catching blue stones were commercialized and worked by craftsmen in cultural centers as far as two thousand kilometers to the north.

Mining at the deposit ended with the Spanish colonization in the 1500´s and the Flowers of the Andes only began to bloom again at the beginning of the 1960´s. The site now produces some 600 tons of varying grades of lapis each year. 

The company that owns the mine has also generated two subsidiaries; Lapisdesign S.A. and Lapispigment S.A. that produce architectural appliqués such as tiles, sinks and moldings, accessories and natural lapis lazuli pigment.

During the Renaissance lapis powder was used to make fade resistant paints by artists such as Leonardo da Vinci, Fra Angelico and Albrecht Dürer. The compelling deep blue color of the pigment was called ultramarine, but was also known as “blue gold” due to its scarcity and consequential high price. Pierre Negroni, director of Flores de los Andes explains that lapis lazuli is classified as a rock, because it is composed of 15 minerals. Its most important component is lazurite, which gives it its eye-catching blue color. Other minerals create the white tones, which can detract from the stones value, while pyrite can give the golden hints that make the stone more attractive.

Lapisdesign S.A. manufactures cabochons for the jewelry trade and other decorative items widely used as corporate gifts using high grade lapis, while another line consists of tiles and appliqués used to complement marble floors and walls.

Lesser grade and leftover pieces of lapis are then ground into a powder and the lazurite is separated from the other minerals creating the natural ultramarine pigment, which is basically pure lazurite.
The pigment is exported to major paint companies all over the world, but Flores de los Andes has also promoted the use of the pigment among national artists, such as  Juan Echeñique who painted a series of icons in the San Francisco de Sales Chapel in the Vitacura neighborhood.

“Regrettably”, says Mr. Negroni, “The majority of our production is exported. For some reason national architects have not incorporated lapis, which is harder than marble, into their buildings. There are only a few exceptions; the Mar vineyard in Casablanca, the Ritz Carlton and Hyatt hotels and a Mormon Church in Pocuro.”
Chileans may not fully appreciate lapis lazuli, but foreign visitors sure do and stores like Blue Stone in Vitacura cater to that interest. While there is a wide offer of lapis lazuli crafts throughout Santiago, very few work with their own designs.

Maria Elsa Soto began working in the lapis craft trade during her student years and opened the Blue Stone store 12 years ago.  Blue Stone has its own work shop, where craft persons follow the designs of the brothers Julio and Patricio Galleguillos, professional sculptures and jewelers.
Products range from unpolished bits of stones for rock hounds, to jewelry and figures such as a replica of the Cairo Museum´s mask of Tutankamon. The replica mask took six months to make and is worked with silver, lapis mosaic and other semi precious stones and is valued at almost 100 thousand dollars. Other Egyptian replicas are cats, horse heads and queen Nefertiti´s classic profile.
“We strive for quality, not quantity” says Ms. Soto, “All our pieces are well made, we certify the stones, silver and gold we use. The larger figures are harder to transport, so we sell them placed in our client’s home. We also teach our clients about lapis lazuli. We work with many tourist agencies who want to offer their visitors only the best and that is what they require from us.”
Ms. Soto advises buyers to ask for certification of the stones authenticity when buying lapis. “There´s a lot of synthetic lapis going around, as well as stones that are dyed and it is very hard for the non-specialist to distinguish them.” Mr. Negroni of Flores de los Andes says that they include certification when selling lapis to artisans “if a store can´t produce certification it’s very likely that the stones are either false or stolen.”

With a little caution there is an entire universe of high quality lapis lazuli to be enjoyed by all; whether its jewelry, sculptures, elegant table ware or just the rock itself, there are stones for all tastes and ages.