Hackmanite vs Sodalite: What Are They, And What's The Difference?

There are so many gorgeous stones out there and there are plenty that are often mistaken for one another.

Hackmanite and Sodalite are stones that seem very similar, but that are completely different stones.

These stones may look similar, but they are fantastic stones in their own right.

Hackmanite vs Sodalite (EXPLAINED)

What is Hackmanite?

Hackmanite is a stone that is relatively rare and that comes from sulfur chloric sodium aluminum and silicate and it is actually a member of the family of sodalite stone.

This stone forms in masses that are cubic and octahedral and very structured.

These have what is called, tenebrescence, this means that this stone can change in sunlight and that it is also UV reflective.

This is a stone that comes in a huge range of colors including green, pink, violet, yellow, blue and even grey.

The most common color for this stone however, is white.

This is a relatively soft stone with a Mohs scale hardness of only 5.5 to 6.

It can break relatively easily and it is delicate overall.

If you are storing this stone in an area where there is ample sunlight, it is very likely to change color from the original color that you had when you first acquired the stone.

This stone was first found in 1901 and was named for the Finnish geologist, Victor Hackman.

This stone can be found in places like Norway, Russia, Canada, Myanmar and even Afghanistan.

At first glance, this stone does not look like much but it does have a rather important significance in gemology and in crystal healing that we will further discuss.

Hackmanite is thought to help people access their crown chakra and helps to enhance your mental abilities.

It is also thought to help you have strength of mind, find higher knowledge and know yourself better.

The belief is that this stone helps you access elevated knowledge that comes from higher beings as well as being able to commune with angels, your own spirit guides and more.

Many believe that this stone can help you learn the language of the gods so that you can then interpret the messages that you have received that may be difficult to understand or that you might be having trouble with.

Some also believe that this stone has the ability to help you prioritize and put things aside that are not as important so that you can focus on what is.

This stone is said to reveal hidden colors when exposed to light and some have equated this to the ability of the stone to help expose your own light and your own inner colors.

This is a stone that many believe will help you unlock your true inner self and unlock abilities that you never knew you had.

What is Sodalite?

Sodalite is not a particular stone, but rather, a family of stones that are a specific type.

Hackmanite is a sodalite stone.

This stone family is relatively soft with a Mohs hardness of about 5.5 to 6.

They have an uneven fracture and are not a great stone for making into jewelry or even into stones that you are going to be handling and holding every day.

Sodalite is the name of the family of stones that hackmanite belongs to.

These stones are relatively easy to find and are not exceedingly rare or overly valuable.

Sodalite stones are not particularly beautiful and they are not particularly flashy.

They generally come in muted colors like white, yellowish white, green tinged white, red and can sometimes be dark blue.

Sodalite stones are going to light up when they are exposed to UV light and they do look like they are lighting up.

Sodalite is typically going to be rich blue if it is a true stone that does not have other chemical or mineral contaminates like sulfur that makes it a hackmanite stone instead.

They do look like lapis lazuli, but they are a totally different stone that is not the same overall.

They share some of the same minerals in them that make them blue.

This would be a great stone if you are trying to start getting into crystals or if you just like unique stones that are not your average rose quartz and that do have a bit more of a story behind them.

Sodalite gems are not completely rare so they are not often reproduced in laboratories.

Sodalite stones come in a huge range of sizes and shapes and they are most often found in places like Canada, the United States and Afghanistan.

Sodalite stones are soft, this means that they can chip, crack and scratch easily and may become damaged if you are not careful with how you are caring for them.

Sodalite is thought to bring calmness and order to your mind and help you focus on what is truly important in life.

They are also thought to help boost your metabolism, your immune system, and even help you overcome deficiencies in certain minerals like calcium.

They are also thought to combat radiation.

They have long been used to help treat the throat, the vocal cords, the larynx and even help with sore throat and hoarseness.

This stone is also thought to help lower fever, lower blood pressure and stimulate the body to better absorb fluids.

It has been said that this stone helps with logic, intelligence, intuition, clarity, truth, emotional balance, and even perception and it is also thought to help you access your third eye chakra.

This is a stone that has significance in both physical and mental healing and that has long been used to do just that.

Sodalite stones have also been referred to as the poor man’s lapis lazuli and have long had a place at the table of healing and crystal work.

How to Care for Hackmanite and Sodalite

When caring for a stone like Hackmanite and Sodalite stones your biggest concern is going to be exposure to UV light.

Though you might want to put it under UV light to see the pretty colors and fluorescence that they put off, this can actually damage the stone.

Over exposure to UV light can make the color fade and can make your stone lackluster and not at all brightly colored.

If you do have true sodalite and hackmanite, you should keep it away from direct sunlight and store it in a place where it is not going to fade and not going to lose its color.

Some of these stones can be treated before purchase to help lock in color and prevent changes in the overall color.

Irradiation can restore color that has been lost to UV light.

Another thing to remember is that these stones are relatively soft and delicate.

They are not going to be a great stone for a piece of jewelry that you wear every day and you should make sure that you are treating them carefully and delicately.

They can scratch and chip easily so you should make sure that you take great care when using and wearing this stone.

They are both a gorgeous stone that can be added to your crystal collection or to your jewelry collection and with the right care, they will last for a very long time.

So, a hackmanite is a sodalite stone but a sodalite stone does not necessarily have to be a hackmanite stone.

These are gorgeous stones that are super fun and interesting, especially when you do get to light them up and you get to see the different colors as they fluoresce.

These stones are beautiful and they would be a fantastic addition to any collection.

They are unique but not necessarily exceedingly rare and they can be damaged by sun and by overly aggressive use or wear.