Definition
Harzburgite is a plutonic rock of the peridotite group consisting largely of orthopyroxene and olivine
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 name of a town in Harzburg, Germany
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
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Opaque Rock
Texture
Phaneritic
Glassy
Color
Dark Greenish - Grey
Black, Blue, Brown, Green, Orange, Red, Tan, Yellow
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Rough and Shiny
Shiny
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone
Garden Decoration
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
-
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cobblestones
Arrowheads, Cutting Tool, Knives, Scrapers, Spear Points
Medical Industry
-
Surgery
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts, Jewellery
Commercial Uses
Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry, Source of Chromite, Platinum, Nickel and Garnet, Source of Diamonds
Creating Artwork, Mirror, Used in aquariums
Types
Ultramafic rock
Fireworks Obsidian, Mahogany, Sheen Obsidian, Snowflake obsidian and Velvet Peacock Obsidian
Features
Constitutes upper part of the Earth's mantle, Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock
Blocks negativity, Helps to protect against depression
Archaeological Significance
Formation
Harzburgite is a fine-grained, hard rock which is a type of metasomatite, essentially altered basalt. It forms with or without crystallization, either below the surface as intrusive rocks or on the surface as extrusive rocks.
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
Amphibole, Chromite, Garnet, Magnesium, Olivine, Phlogopite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene
-
Compound Content
Ca, Fe, Mg, Potassium, Silicon Dioxide, Sodium, Titanium Dioxide
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Impact Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Sea Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion
Grain Size
Coarse Grained
-
Fracture
Irregular
Conchoidal
Porosity
Less Porous
Very Less Porous
Specific Gravity
3-3.01
2.6-2.7
Transparency
Translucent to Opaque
Translucent
Density
3.1-3.4 g/cm3
2.6 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Japan, Oman
Afghanistan, Indonesia, Japan, Russia
Africa
South Africa
Kenya
Europe
France, Germany, Italy
Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Turkey
Others
Hawaii Islands, Mid-Atlantic Ridge
-
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada, Mexico, USA
South America
-
Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, Peru
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Harzburgite 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. Harzburgite vs Obsidian characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Harzburgite and Properties of Obsidian. Learn more about Harzburgite vs Obsidian in the next section. The interior uses of Harzburgite include Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Obsidian include Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Harzburgite and Obsidian, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Harzburgite in construction industry include As dimension stone, Cobblestones and that of Obsidian include Arrowheads, Cutting tool, Knives, Scrapers, Spear points.
More about Harzburgite and Obsidian
Here you can know more about Harzburgite and Obsidian. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Harzburgite and Obsidian consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Harzburgite includes Amphibole, Chromite, Garnet, Magnesium, Olivine, Phlogopite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene and mineral content of Obsidian includes . You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Harzburgite vs Obsidian, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Harzburgite is available in dark greenish - grey colors whereas, Obsidian is available in black, blue, brown, green, orange, red, tan, yellow colors. Appearance of Harzburgite is Rough and Shiny and that of Obsidian is Shiny. Properties of rock is another aspect for Harzburgite vs Obsidian. The hardness of Harzburgite is 5.5-6 and that of Obsidian is 5-5.5. The types of Harzburgite are Ultramafic rock 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 Harzburgite and Obsidian is white. The specific heat capacity of Harzburgite is 1.25 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.Harzburgite is heat resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant whereas Obsidian is heat resistant, impact resistant.