Definition
Breccia is a rock consisting of angular fragments of stones which are cemented by finer calcareous material
  
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
  
History
  
  
Origin
England
  
Ethiopia
  
Discoverer
Unknown
  
Obsius
  
Etymology
From Italian, literally gravel, Germanic origin and related to break
  
From Latin obsidianus, misprint of Obsianus (lapis) (stone) of Obsius
  
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
  
Igneous Rocks
  
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
  
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
  
Family
  
  
Group
Not Applicable
  
Volcanic
  
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Opaque Rock
  
Texture
Brecciated, Clastic
  
Glassy
  
Color
Beige, Black, Blue, Brown, Buff, Green, Grey, Orange, Pink, Purple, Red, Rust, White, Yellow
  
Black, Blue, Brown, Green, Orange, Red, Tan, Yellow
  
Maintenance
Less
  
Less
  
Durability
Durable
  
Durable
  
Water Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Scratch Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Stain Resistant
Yes
  
No
  
Wind Resistant
Yes
  
No
  
Acid Resistant
No
  
No
  
Appearance
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny
  
Shiny
  
Architecture
  
  
Interior Uses
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Interior Decoration
  
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
  
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
  
Garden Decoration
  
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
  
Not Yet Used
  
Industry
  
  
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Construction Aggregate, Landscaping, Roadstone
  
Arrowheads, Cutting Tool, Knives, Scrapers, Spear Points
  
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
  
Surgery
  
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Sculpture
  
Artifacts, Jewellery
  
Other Uses
  
  
Commercial Uses
Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry
  
Creating Artwork, Mirror, Used in aquariums
  
Types
Collapse Breccia, Fault Breccia, Flow Breccia, Pyroclastic Breccia, Igneous Breccia and Impact Breccia
  
Fireworks Obsidian, Mahogany, Sheen Obsidian, Snowflake obsidian and Velvet Peacock Obsidian
  
Features
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Clasts are smooth to touch
  
Blocks negativity, Helps to protect against depression
  
Archaeological Significance
  
  
Monuments
Not Yet Used
  
Not Yet Used
  
Famous Monuments
Not Applicable
  
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
  
Fossils
Present
  
Absent
  
Formation
Breccia is a clastic sedimentary rock which is composed of broken fragments of minerals or rock which are cemented together by a fine-grained matrix and it forms where broken, angular fragments of rock or mineral debris accumulate.
  
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.
  
Composition
  
  
Mineral Content
Calcite, Clay, Feldspar, Phosphates, Quartz, Silica
  
Not Available
  
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, Ca, NaCl, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
  
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
  
Transformation
  
  
Metamorphism
Yes
  
Yes
  
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism
  
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism
  
Weathering
Yes
  
Yes
  
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
  
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
  
Erosion
Yes
  
Yes
  
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion
  
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion
  
Physical Properties
  
  
Hardness
7
  
5-5.5
  
Grain Size
Medium to Coarse Grained
  
Not Applicable
  
Fracture
Uneven
  
Conchoidal
  
Streak
White
  
White
  
Porosity
Less Porous
  
Very Less Porous
  
Luster
Dull to Pearly
  
Vitreous
  
Compressive Strength
Not Available
  
Cleavage
Non-Existent
  
Non-Existent
  
Toughness
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Specific Gravity
2.86-2.87
  
2.6-2.7
  
Transparency
Opaque
  
Translucent
  
Density
0 g/cm3
  
2.6 g/cm3
  
Thermal Properties
  
  
Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available
  
0.92 kJ/Kg K
  
10
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
  
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant
  
Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  
Asia
China, India, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, South Korea, Uzbekistan
  
Afghanistan, Indonesia, Japan, Russia
  
Africa
Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
  
Kenya
  
Europe
Austria, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
  
Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Turkey
  
Others
Greenland
  
Not Yet Found
  
Deposits in Western Continents
  
  
North America
Barbados, Canada, Mexico, Panama, USA
  
Canada, Mexico, USA
  
South America
Brazil
  
Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, Peru
  
Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  
Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand
  
New Zealand
  
All about Breccia and Obsidian Properties
Know all about Breccia and Obsidian properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Breccia belongs to Sedimentary Rocks while Obsidian belongs to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Breccia is Brecciated, Clastic whereas that of Obsidian is Glassy. Breccia appears Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny and Obsidian appears Shiny. The luster of Breccia is dull to pearly while that of Obsidian is vitreous. Breccia is available in beige, black, blue, brown, buff, green, grey, orange, pink, purple, red, rust, white, yellow colors whereas Obsidian is available in black, blue, brown, green, orange, red, tan, yellow colors. The commercial uses of Breccia are creating artwork, gemstone, jewelry and that of Obsidian are creating artwork, mirror, used in aquariums.