A geological process where rocks transform into glaucophane, a blue mineral formed under high pressure and low temperature conditions, typically in subduction zones.
From glaucophane (Greek glaukos 'bluish-green' + phone 'appearance') + -ization (suffix indicating a process or transformation). The term emerged in 19th-century mineralogy to describe metamorphic rock changes.
When ocean plates get dragged deep into Earth's mantle, the intense pressure literally rewrites the minerals' atomic blueprints, turning everyday rocks into stunning blue crystals—it's like nature's extreme pressure cooker creating treasure.
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