LiLa 9 (SiO 4 ) 6 O 2 (LLS) crystals activated with Nd 3+ have been grown from a lithium molybdate flux. Their absorption and emission spectra and fluorescence decay profiles have been measured at different temperatures. The spectra are affected by a significant inhomogeneous broadening as a consequence of the partial disorder of the crystal structure. The room temperature absorption spectra have been analyzed using the Judd–Ofelt approach. The Ω 2 , Ω 4 and Ω 6 intensity parameters have been evaluated and used to calculate the spontaneous emission probabilities, the branching ratios and the radiative lifetime for the 4 F 3/2 emitting level. These values have been compared with the experimental decay time in order to estimate the effect of the non-radiative processes in this material.