igneous
Larvikite
Monzonite
AI-generated identification · may be incorrectHardness of 6 on the Mohs scale, grey to blue-grey color, vitreous luster, triclinic crystal system, and exhibits characteristic schiller or labradorescence.
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Physical properties
Hardness of 6 on the Mohs scale, grey to blue-grey color, vitreous luster, triclinic crystal system, and exhibits characteristic schiller or labradorescence.
Formation & geological history
Formed from the slow cooling of alkali-rich magma in intrusive underground chambers during the Permian period, roughly 290 million years ago.
Uses & applications
Widely used as an architectural facing stone, for interior countertops, and fashioned into tumbled stones and beaded jewelry.
Geological facts
Larvikite is the national rock of Norway and is famous for its bright silver-blue flashes caused by microperthite feldspar structures.
Field identification & locations
Easily identified by its distinctive silvery-blue play of colors against a dark grey feldspar background, primarily sourced from the Larvik region of Norway.
