Definition
Blue Granite is an igneous rock and a variety of Larvikite, notable for the presence of thumbnail-sized blue crystals of feldspar
Obsidian is a naturally occurring volcanic glass formed as an extrusive igneous rock. It is produced when felsic lava extruded from a volcano cools rapidly with minimum crystal growth
Discoverer
Unknown
Obsius
Etymology
From the color of rock, Blue
From Latin obsidianus, misprint of Obsianus (lapis) (stone) of Obsius
Class
Igneous Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Opaque Rock
Texture
Phaneritic
Glassy
Color
Black, Brown, Light to Dark Grey, White
Black, Blue, Brown, Green, Orange, Red, Tan, Yellow
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Floor Tiles, Flooring, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration
Garden Decoration
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Not Yet Used
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
Arrowheads, Cutting Tool, Knives, Scrapers, Spear Points
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Surgery
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts, Jewellery
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork, Curling
Creating Artwork, Mirror, Used in aquariums
Types
Not Available
Fireworks Obsidian, Mahogany, Sheen Obsidian, Snowflake obsidian and Velvet Peacock Obsidian
Features
Available in lots of colors, Is one of the oldest rock
Blocks negativity, Helps to protect against depression
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
Not Applicable
Sculpture
Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
Not Applicable
Pictographs
Not Used
Used
Petroglyphs
Not Used
Used
Figurines
Used
Not Yet Used
Formation
Blue Granite is an igneous rock which is a variety of Larvikite and is known mainly for the presence of thumbnail-sized crystals of feldspar.
When the lava is released from volcano, it undergoes a very rapid cooling which freezes the mechanisms of crystallization. The result is a volcanic glass with a uniform smooth texture.
Mineral Content
Albite, Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Muscovite or Illite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Sulfides, Titanite, Zircon
Not Available
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion
Grain Size
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Not Applicable
Fracture
Not Available
Conchoidal
Porosity
Less Porous
Very Less Porous
Luster
Subvitreous to Dull
Vitreous
Cleavage
Not Available
Non-Existent
Toughness
Not Available
Not Available
Specific Gravity
2.8-3
2.6-2.7
Transparency
Opaque
Translucent
Density
2.9-2.91 g/cm3
2.6 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Not Yet Found
Afghanistan, Indonesia, Japan, Russia
Africa
Not Yet Found
Kenya
Europe
Bulgaria, England, Germany, Norway, Romania, Switzerland
Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Turkey
Others
Not Yet Found
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
USA
Canada, Mexico, USA
South America
Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru
Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, Peru
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia
New Zealand
Blue Granite vs Obsidian Characteristics
Though some rocks look identical, they have certain characteristics which distinguish them from others. Characteristics of rocks include texture, appearance, color, fracture, streak, hardness etc. Blue Granite vs Obsidian characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Blue Granite and Properties of Obsidian. Learn more about Blue Granite vs Obsidian in the next section. The interior uses of Blue Granite include Decorative aggregates, Floor tiles, Flooring and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Obsidian include Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Blue Granite and Obsidian, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Blue Granite in construction industry include As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate and that of Obsidian include Arrowheads, Cutting tool, Knives, Scrapers, Spear points.
More about Blue Granite and Obsidian
Here you can know more about Blue Granite and Obsidian. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Blue Granite and Obsidian consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Blue Granite includes Albite, Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Muscovite or Illite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Sulfides, Titanite, Zircon and mineral content of Obsidian is not available. You can also check out the list of all . When we have to compare Blue Granite vs Obsidian, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Blue Granite is available in black, brown, light to dark grey, white colors whereas, Obsidian is available in black, blue, brown, green, orange, red, tan, yellow colors. Appearance of Blue Granite is Shiny and that of Obsidian is Shiny. Properties of rock is another aspect for Blue Granite vs Obsidian. The hardness of Blue Granite is 6-7 and that of Obsidian is 5-5.5. The types of Blue Granite are Not Available whereas types of Obsidian are Fireworks Obsidian, Mahogany, Sheen Obsidian, Snowflake obsidian and Velvet Peacock Obsidian. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Blue Granite and Obsidian is white. The specific heat capacity of Blue Granite is 0.79 kJ/Kg K and that of Obsidian is 0.92 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Blue Granite is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant whereas Obsidian is heat resistant, impact resistant.