Blueschist
A rock subtype
This page is currently not sponsored. Click here to sponsor this page.
About Blueschist
A schist whose bluish colour is due to the presence of alkali amphibole (often glaucophane, but also riebeckite or other amphiboles in the Sodium Amphibole Subgroup.
Blueschists are generally high-pressure, relatively low-temperature metamorphic rocks. They may form when ocean-floor basalts are subducted and subjected to a high-pressure-low-temperature regime.
Blueschists are generally high-pressure, relatively low-temperature metamorphic rocks. They may form when ocean-floor basalts are subducted and subjected to a high-pressure-low-temperature regime.
Unique Identifiers
Mindat ID:
48737
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:48737:5
Classification of Blueschist
- Rock
- Metamorphic rock
- High-grade metamorphic rock
- High P/T metamorphic rock
- Blueschist
- High P/T metamorphic rock
- Schist
- Blueschist
- High-grade metamorphic rock
- Metamorphic rock
Sub-divisions of Blueschist
Mineralogy of Blueschist
Essential minerals - these are minerals that are required within the classification of this rock:
| Sodium Amphibole Subgroup | A0-1Na2(C2+2-4C3+1-2Li0-1)Σ5(Si8-mAlmO22)(OH,F,Cl)2 |
Non-essential minerals - these minerals are common, sometimes major components, but are not always present:
| Amphibole > Glaucophane | ◻Na2(Mg3Al2)Si8O22(OH)2 |
| Ferro-glaucophane | ◻Na2(Fe2+3Al2)Si8O22(OH)2 |
Pronunciation of Blueschist
Pronunciation:
| Play | Recorded by | Country |
|---|---|---|
| Jolyon Ralph | United Kingdom |
Other Language Names for Blueschist
German:Blauschiefer
Common Associates
Associations Based on Photo Data:
| 24 photos of Blueschist associated with Glaucophane | ◻Na2(Mg3Al2)Si8O22(OH)2 |
| 22 photos of Blueschist associated with Epidote | (CaCa)(AlAlFe3+)O[Si2O7][SiO4](OH) |
| 20 photos of Blueschist associated with 'Epidote-glaucophane schist' | |
| 16 photos of Blueschist associated with Ferro-glaucophane | ◻Na2(Fe2+3Al2)Si8O22(OH)2 |
| 14 photos of Blueschist associated with Muscovite | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| 6 photos of Blueschist associated with 'Glaucophane schist' | |
| 5 photos of Blueschist associated with Native Copper | Cu |
| 5 photos of Blueschist associated with Actinolite | ◻Ca2(Mg4.5-2.5Fe0.5-2.5)Si8O22(OH)2 |
| 4 photos of Blueschist associated with Garnet Group | X3Z2(SiO4)3 |
| 1 photo of Blueschist associated with Amphibole Supergroup | AB2C5(T8O22)W2 |
Internet Links for Blueschist
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-48737.html
Please feel free to link to this page.
Please feel free to link to this page.
References for Blueschist
Reference List:
Himmelberg, G. R., Papike, J. J. (1969) Coexisting amphiboles from blueschist facies metamorphic rocks. Journal of Petrology, 10 (1) 102-114 doi:10.1093/petrology/10.1.102
Van Bemmelen, R.W. (1974) Driving forces of orogeny, with emphasis on blue-schist facies of metamorphism (test-case III: The Japan arc). Tectonophysics, 22 (1-2). 83-125 doi:10.1016/0040-1951(74)90036-5
NAGLE, FREDERICK (1974) Blueschist, Eclogite, Paired Metamorphic Belts, and the Early Tectonic History of Hispaniola. Geological Society of America Bulletin, 85 (9) 1461 doi:10.1130/0016-7606(1974)85<1461:bepmba>2.0.co;2
PLATT, JEREMY B., LIOU, J. G., PAGE, BEN M. (1976) Franciscan blueschist-facies metaconglomerate, Diablo Range, California. Geological Society of America Bulletin, 87 (4) 581 doi:10.1130/0016-7606(1976)87<581:fbmdrc>2.0.co;2
Black, P. M., Brothers, R. N. (1977) Blueschist ophiolites in the melange zone, northern New Caledonia. Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology, 65 (1) 69-78 doi:10.1007/bf00373572
PLATT, JEREMY B., LIOU, J. G., PAGE, BEN M. (1977) Franciscan blueschist-facies metaconglomerates, Diablo Range, California: Discussion and reply. Geological Society of America Bulletin, 88 (3) 480 doi:10.1130/0016-7606(1977)88<480b:fbmdrc>2.0.co;2
BLOXAM, T. W. (1977) Franciscan blueschist-facies metaconglomerates, Diablo Range, California: Discussion and reply. Geological Society of America Bulletin, 88 (3) 480 doi:10.1130/0016-7606(1977)88<480a:fbmdrc>2.0.co;2
COWAN, DARREL S. (1978) Origin of blueschist-bearing chaotic rocks in the Franciscan Complex, San Simeon, California. Geological Society of America Bulletin, 89 (9) 1415 doi:10.1130/0016-7606(1978)89<1415:oobcri>2.0.co;2
Moore, Diane E., Liou, J. G. (1979) Mineral chemistry of some Franciscan blueschist facies metasedimentary rocks from the Diablo Range, California. Geological Society of America Bulletin, 90 (12) 1737-1781 doi:10.1130/gsab-p2-90-1737
GRAY, J. R., YARDLEY, B. W. D. (1979) A Caledonian blueschist from the Irish Dalradian. Nature, 278 (5706). 736-737 doi:10.1038/278736a0
MOORE, DIANE E., LIOU, J. G. (1979) Mineral chemistry of some Franciscan blueschist facies metasedimentary rocks from the Diablo Range, California: Summary. Geological Society of America Bulletin, 90 (12) 1089 doi:10.1130/0016-7606(1979)90<1089:mcosfb>2.0.co;2
Wood, R. M. (1979) A re-evaluation of the blueschist facies. Part 2. The role of the mineral in metamorphism. Geological Magazine, 116 (3). 191-201 doi:10.1017/s0016756800043600
Wood, R. M. (1979) A re-evaluation of the blueschist facies. Geological Magazine, 116 (1) 21-33 doi:10.1017/s0016756800041972
Muir Wood, Robert (1980) Compositional zoning in sodic amphiboles from the blueschist facies. Mineralogical Magazine, 43 (330) 741-752 doi:10.1180/minmag.1980.043.330.07
BLAKE, M. C., BONNEAU, MICHEL, GEYSSANT, JACQUES, KIENAST, J. R., LEPVRIER, CLAUDE, MALUSKI, HENRI, PAPANIKOLAOU, DIMITRIOS (1981) A geologic reconnaissance of the Cycladic blueschist belt, Greece. Geological Society of America Bulletin, 92 (5) 247 doi:10.1130/0016-7606(1981)92<247:agrotc>2.0.co;2
Okay, A. I. (1982) Incipient blueschist metamorphism and metasomatism in the Tavşanli region, Northwest Turkey. Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology, 79 (4). 361-367 doi:10.1007/bf01132065
Muir Wood, Robert (1982) The Laytonville Quarry (Mendocino County California) exotic block: iron-rich blueschist-facies subduction-zone metamorphism. Mineralogical Magazine, 45 (337) 87-99 doi:10.1180/minmag.1982.045.337.10
Dungan, M. A., Vance, J. A., Blanchard, D. P. (1983) Geochemistry of the Shuksan greenschists and blueschists, North Cascades, Washington: Variably fractionated and altered metabasalts of oceanic affinity. Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology, 82 (2) 131-146 doi:10.1007/bf01166608
RODGERS, JOHN (1984) A geologic reconnaissance of the Cycladic blueschist belt, Greece: Discussion and reply. Geological Society of America Bulletin, 95 (1) 117 doi:10.1130/0016-7606(1984)95<117:agrotc>2.0.co;2
BLAKE, M. C., BONNEAU, MICHEL, GEYSSANT, JACQUES, KIENAST, J. R., LEPVRIER, CLAUDE, MALUSKI, HENRI, PAPANIKOLAOU, DIMITRIOS (1984) A geologic reconnaissance of the Cycladic blueschist belt, Greece: Discussion and reply. Geological Society of America Bulletin, 95 (1) 119 doi:10.1130/0016-7606(1984)95<119:agrotc>2.0.co;2
Matthews, Alan, Schliestedt, Manfred (1984) Evolution of the blueschist and greenschist facies rocks of Sifnos, Cyclades, Greece. Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology, 88 (1) 150-163 doi:10.1007/bf00371419
THURSTON, STEPHEN POLLOCK (1985) Structure, petrology, and metamorphic history of the Nome Group blueschist terrane, Salmon Lake area, Seward Peninsula, Alaska. Geological Society of America Bulletin, 96 (5) 600 doi:10.1130/0016-7606(1985)96<600:spamho>2.0.co;2
WINTSCH, SUSAN (1986) The blueschist enigma. Geology Today, 2 (2) 52-54 doi:10.1111/j.1365-2451.1986.tb01018.x
Horak, J. M., Gibbons, W. (1986) Reclassification of blueschist amphiboles from Anglesey, North Wales. Mineralogical Magazine, 50 (357) 533-535 doi:10.1180/minmag.1986.050.357.18
Mottana, Annibale (1986) GSA Memoir (164), Blueschist-Facies Metamorphism of Manganiferous Cherts: A Review of the Alpine Occurrences. Geological Society of America p.267-300. doi:10.1130/mem164-p267
Gibbons, Wes; Waters, Colin; Warburton, John (1986) The blueschist facies schistes lustrés of Alpine Corsica: A review. In Geological Society of America Memoirs No. 164. Geological Society of America. p.301-312. doi:10.1130/mem164-p301
Warburton, John (1986) The ophiolite-bearing Schistes lustrés nappe in Alpine Corsica: A model for the emplacement of ophiolites that have suffered HP/LT metamorphism. In Geological Society of America Memoirs No. 164. Geological Society of America. p.313-332. doi:10.1130/mem164-p313
Jayko, A. S.; Blake, M. C.; Brothers, R. N. (1986) Blueschist metamorphism of the Eastern Franciscan belt, northern California. In Geological Society of America Memoirs No. 164. Geological Society of America. p.107-124. doi:10.1130/mem164-p107
Caron, Jean-Michel, Péquignot, Guy (1986) The transition between blueschists and lawsonite-bearing eclogites based on observations from Corsican metabasalts. Lithos, 19 (3) 205-218 doi:10.1016/0024-4937(86)90023-x
Cotkin, Spencer J. (1987) Conditions of metamorphism in an early Paleozoic blueschist, schist of Skookum Gulch, northern California. Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology, 96 (2) 192-200 doi:10.1007/bf00375233
Barr, Hazel (1990) Preliminary fluid inclusion studies in a high-grade blueschist terrain, Syros, Greece. Mineralogical Magazine, 54 (375) 159-168 doi:10.1180/minmag.1990.054.375.03
Wijbrans, Jan R.; Schliestedt, Manfred; York, Derek (1990) Single grain argon laser probe dating of phengites from the blueschist to greenschist transition on Sifnos (Cyclades, Greece). Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology, 104 (5). 582-593 doi:10.1007/bf00306666
Shau, Yen-Hong, Feather, Melanie E., Essene, Eric J., Peacor, Donald R. (1991) Genesis and solvus relations of submicroscopically intergrown paragonite and phengite in a blueschist from northern California. Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology, 106 (3) 367-378 doi:10.1007/bf00324564
Maekawa, Hliokazu, Shozul, Masaya, Ishll, Teruaki, Fryer, Patricia, Pearce, Jullan A. (1993) Blueschist metamorphism in an active subduction zone. Nature, 364 (6437). 520-523 doi:10.1038/364520a0
Baltatzis, Emmanuel (1996) Blueschist-to-Greenschist Transition and the P-T Path of Prasinites from the Lavrion Area, Greece. Mineralogical Magazine, 60 (401) 551-561 doi:10.1180/minmag.1996.060.401.02
Tsujimori, Tatsuki, Itaya, Tetsumaru (1999) Blueschist‐facies metamorphism during Paleozoic orogeny in southwestern Japan: Phengite K–Ar ages of blueschist‐facies tectonic blocks in a serpentinite melange beneath early Paleozoic Oeyama ophiolite. Island Arc, 8 (2). 190-205 doi:10.1046/j.1440-1738.1999.00231.x
Spandler, Carl; Hermann, Jörg; Arculus, Richard; Mavrogenes, John (2003) Redistribution of trace elements during prograde metamorphism from lawsonite blueschist to eclogite facies; implications for deep subduction-zone processes. Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology, 146 (2). 205-222 doi:10.1007/s00410-003-0495-5
ŽÁČKOVÁ, E., KONOPÁSEK, J., JEŘÁBEK, P., FINGER, F., KOŠLER, J. (2010) Early Carboniferous blueschist facies metamorphism in metapelites of the West Sudetes (Northern Saxothuringian Domain, Bohemian Massif) Journal of Metamorphic Geology, 28 (4) 361-379 doi:10.1111/j.1525-1314.2010.00869.x
BROVARONE, A. VITALE, GROPPO, C., HETÉNYI, G., COMPAGNONI, R., MALAVIEILLE, J. (2011) Coexistence of lawsonite-bearing eclogite and blueschist: phase equilibria modelling of Alpine Corsica metabasalts and petrological evolution of subducting slabs. Journal of Metamorphic Geology, 29 (5) 583-600 doi:10.1111/j.1525-1314.2011.00931.x
Localities for Blueschist
Showing 64 localities.
symbol to view information about a locality.
The Locality List
- This locality has map coordinates listed.
- This locality has estimated coordinates.
ⓘ - Click for references and further information on this occurrence.
? - Indicates mineral may be doubtful at this locality.
- Good crystals or important locality for species.
- World class for species or very significant.
(TL) - Type Locality for a valid mineral species.
(FRL) - First Recorded Locality for everything else (eg varieties).
All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.
Antarctica | |
| Smellie et al. (1984, March) |
| Trouw et al. (2000) +1 other reference | |
Australia | |
| Och et al. (2003) |
Austria | |
| Bernroider et al. (2017) +1 other reference |
| Neubauer et al. (2017) |
Canada | |
| - (n.d.) |
Chile | |
| [Glaucophane schist] Massonne et al. (1998) |
| González-Jiménez et al. (2023) |
China | |
| - (n.d.) |
| Sun et al. (2025) |
| - (n.d.) |
| - (n.d.) |
| - (n.d.) |
| - (n.d.) |
| - (n.d.) |
Cuba | |
| Cárdenas-Párraga et al. (2010) |
Dominican Republic | |
| Hertwig A et al. (2014) |
Ecuador | |
| John et al. (2010) |
| Aspden et al. (1995) |
France | |
| [Glaucophane schist] Dauteuil et al. (1995) |
| [Epidote-glaucophane schist, Glaucophane schist] Audren et al. (1993) |
| Gibbons et al. (1986) |
| Godard et al. (2024) |
Greece | |
| Rice et al. (2012) |
| Korosidis et al. (2022, March) |
| Tsirigoti et al. (2025) |
| Wind et al. (2023) |
| [Glaucophane schist] Schumacher et al. (2008) |
Guatemala | |
| Harlow et al. (2011) |
| [Glaucophane schist] Li et al. (2023) | |
| Harlow (1994) +1 other reference | |
| Harlow et al. (2011) |
| Harlow et al. (2011) | |
Indonesia | |
| [Glaucophane schist] Idrus et al. (2017) |
Iran | |
| Rahmani et al. (2020) | |
Italy | |
| Lecacheur et al. (2024) |
| Sanità et al. (2024) |
Jamaica | |
| Abbott et al. (2008) |
Kyrgyzstan | |
| OROZBAEV et al. (2007) |
Norway | |
| Agard et al. (2005) |
Poland | |
| Wajsprych et al. (2010) |
Romania | |
| Hîrtopanu et al. (2003) | |
Slovakia | |
| [Glaucophane schist] Štubňa et al. (2019) |
Spain | |
| González-Jiménez et al. (2023) |
Turkey | |
| Turan et al. (2026) |
| Günay et al. (2016) |
| Kocatürk et al. (2025) | |
UK | |
| [Glaucophane schist] Stephenson et al. (1999) |
USA | |
| |
| [Glaucophane schist] - (2005) |
| [Glaucophane schist] Pemberton (1983) +1 other reference |
| Rowland (1984) |
| [Glaucophane schist] Switzer (1951) |
| Dunning G.E. et al. (2018) |
| Dunning G.E. et al. (2018) | |
| [Glaucophane schist] Louderback (1909) |
| [Glaucophane schist] - (2005) |
| [Glaucophane schist] - (2005) |
| [Glaucophane schist] - (2005) |
Porh Morvil creek, Primiture, Groix, Lorient, Morbihan, Brittany, France