As the major mineral component, it is glaucophane's color that gives the "blueschist" metamorphic rock type its name.

Glaucophane, along with the closely related mineral riebeckite, to which it forms a series with, and their intermediate crossite, are the only well known amphiboles that are commonly blue.

The blueschist metamorphic facies gets its name from abundant blue minerals glaucophane and lawsonite.

This material has undergone intense pressure and moderate heat as it was subducted downward toward the mantle.

[2] There is also a rare amphibole called holmquistite, chemical formula Li2Mg3Al2Si8O22(OH)2, which occurs only in lithium-rich continental rocks.