Larvikite
Monzonite (feldspar-rich intrusive rock) with schillerizing feldspar
A Norwegian intrusive rock whose feldspar crystals flash silvery-blue, widely used as blue pearl granite countertops.
- Mohs hardness
- 6-6.5
- Color
- dark grey to blue-black with silvery-blue feldspar flash
- Type
- igneous
Got a rock like this?
Identify any rock from a photo, free.
Overview
Larvikite is a coarse-grained intrusive igneous rock from the Larvik region of Norway, composed largely of feldspar (ternary feldspar) that displays a striking silvery-blue to grey schiller, or flash. Mineralogically it is a type of monzonite, containing little to no quartz.
The shimmering blue iridescence comes from light scattering off microscopic exsolution lamellae within the feldspar, similar to the effect in moonstone and labradorite. Commercially it is sold as "blue pearl" or "emerald pearl" granite.
It is one of Norway's national stones and a popular dimension and decorative stone worldwide.
Formation & geology
Larvikite formed from a silica-undersaturated, feldspar-rich magma that cooled slowly deep underground in the Permian Oslo Rift of Norway. The slow crystallization allowed large feldspar crystals to grow, and during cooling the feldspar unmixed into microscopic intergrown layers.
These fine exsolution lamellae scatter and interfere with light to produce the characteristic blue-grey schiller. The rock is quarried primarily around Larvik in southern Norway, where the Larvik plutonic complex is exposed.
How to identify it
Identify larvikite by its dark grey to blue-black background and the distinctive silvery-blue flash from large feldspar crystals when tilted under light. Hardness is about 6-6.5.
The schiller is internal and directional, sweeping across the surface as the angle changes. It contains little quartz, distinguishing it from true granite.
Distinguish it from labradorite (more rainbow play of color and typically found as a feldspar mineral rather than rock slabs) and from gabbro (darker, without the blue feldspar flash). The blue-grey feldspar schiller in a coarse rock is diagnostic.
Uses & significance
Larvikite is widely used as a polished dimension stone for countertops, flooring, facades, cladding, and tabletops, marketed as blue pearl and emerald pearl granite. Its durability and shimmering flash make it a premium architectural material.
It is also cut into cabochons, tumbled stones, and beads for jewelry, sometimes called Norwegian moonstone or black moonstone.
Metaphysically it is associated with grounding and clarity, though such claims are not scientifically supported. It is a source of national pride in Norway.
Frequently asked questions
Is larvikite a granite?
No. It is commercially called blue pearl granite, but geologically it is a monzonite with little or no quartz.
What causes the blue flash in larvikite?
Light scatters off microscopic exsolution layers within its feldspar crystals, producing a silvery-blue schiller like labradorite.
Where does larvikite come from?
It is quarried in the Larvik region of southern Norway, part of the Permian Oslo Rift.
Is larvikite the same as labradorite?
They show similar feldspar flash, but larvikite is a whole rock used in slabs, while labradorite is the feldspar mineral.
Larvikite guides
In-depth guides for identifying, valuing, and understanding Larvikite.
Larvikite identified by the community
Real specimens identified with Rock Identifier.
