Sugilite was found the first time in 1944 in the southwest of Japan. His name comes from his discoverer the Japanese petrologist Dr. Kenichi Sugi.
In bigger amounts sugilite was found in the beginning of the 70th of the last century in a manganese mine in South Africa (Wessels-mine).

Sugilite is also known with the trade names  luvulite (lavulite) und royal azel.

In the beginning sugilite sometimes was wrongly named as sogdianite which is a similar mineral.

In the esoteric scene sugilite is also named as  new age-stone .

Sugilite is quite rare. The only place where bigger amounts of sugilite are found is the manganese mine in South Africa. That's why sugilite is quite expensive. The most popular and expensive sugilite has a dark purple or deep lavender color. In our days also very special and popular is blue sugilite colored by inclusions of richterite.