Eclogite

A striking red-and-green rock of garnet and green pyroxene formed at great depth.

Eclogite specimen — Photo: No machine-readable author provided. Woudloper assumed (based on copyright claims)., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

How to identify eclogite

Red garnets in a green matrix.
Exceptionally heavy.
Glassy, coarse crystals.

Often confused with

Zoisite
Ruby in zoisite has pink-red ruby, not round garnets.
Compare side by side
Garnet
Garnet is the mineral; eclogite is the whole rock.
Compare side by side

Where it's found

Western Norway
Western Alps, Italy
Franciscan Complex, California

Uses

Scientific study of subduction.

Rock tumbling

Great for tumbling.

Did you know?

Eclogite forms deeper than about 45 km and is denser than the mantle around it.

Think you could spot it from a blurry close-up?

Play today's Rocksday