Lapis lazuli in Afghanistan is produced in the lapis lazuli producing area in Badakhshan province, located in the Kochi River basin in the east of Hindu Kush mountains. There are many known mineral deposits and occurrences, the most famous of which is Saresange celestite deposit. Saresange deposit is located in Saresange Valley, a tributary of Corkchi River. The average weight of lapis lazuli blocks produced is 2-7kg, and some of them can reach100 ~150kg. Lapis lazuli produced in this deposit is dark blue, sky blue and light blue, with fine-grained structure or cryptocrystalline texture. It is the oldest producing area of high-quality lapis lazuli raw materials in the world and the most famous old mineral raw materials.
Lapis lazuli jade in Russia is produced in the south of Lake Binbaikal, including Beistela deposit and Sliudian deposit. The lapis lazuli jade produced by the former is bright blue, while the lapis lazuli jade produced by the latter is of poor quality.
Lapis lazuli jade produced in Tajikistan has fine grain structure or cryptocrystalline texture, and its color is brilliant blue, sky blue and blue, and pyrite disseminated bodies and veinlets can be seen.
Lapis lazuli jade produced in Chile is composed of lapis lazuli, calcite and pyrite, and its color is generally light blue, and a few are dark blue. Lapis lazuli jade produced in Canada often coexists with diopside, phlogopite and other minerals, and its color is generally light and light sky blue.
But at present, 95% of lapis lazuli used in our national jewelry industry is produced in Afghanistan and imported from Hong Kong. Generally, the docks ashore are mainly in Shenzhen, Guangzhou and Shantou. A small amount comes from Chile. I have never heard of it in other producing areas.