Breccia and Obsidian
Definition
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
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
Uses
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
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
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
Properties
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
0.15 N/mm2
33
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
Reserves
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.
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