Icelandite

Obsidian

Icelandite and Obsidian

Icelandite

Obsidian

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Definition

Icelandite belongs to volcanic igneous rocks which is rich in iron and belongs to andesite rock

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

Iceland

Ethiopia

Discoverer

Ian S. E. Carmichael

Obsius

Etymology

From its origin place near Cenozoic volcano near the parsonage Þingmúli in East Iceland

From Latin obsidianus, misprint of Obsianus (lapis) (stone) of Obsius

Class

Igneous Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Hard Rock

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

Family

Group

Volcanic

Other Categories

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Opaque Rock

Texture

Aphanitic to Porphyritic

Glassy

Color

Bluish - Grey, Grey, Pink, Yellow

Black, Blue, Brown, Green, Orange, Red, Tan, Yellow

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Dull and Soft

Shiny

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Floor Tiles, Homes, Interior Decoration, Kitchens

Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses

Office Buildings, Roof Tiles

Garden Decoration

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

Cobblestones, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate

Arrowheads, Cutting Tool, Knives, Scrapers, Spear Points

Medical Industry

Surgery

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Jewellery, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Artifacts, Jewellery

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork

Creating Artwork, Mirror, Used in aquariums

Types

Intermediate volcanic rock

Fireworks Obsidian, Mahogany, Sheen Obsidian, Snowflake obsidian and Velvet Peacock Obsidian

Features

Generally rough to touch, High silica content, Is one of the oldest rock

Blocks negativity, Helps to protect against depression

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Famous Monuments

Sculpture

Famous Sculptures

Pictographs

Petroglyphs

Figurines

Fossils

Absent

Formation

Icelandite 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.

Composition

Mineral Content

Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Feldspar, Garnet, Hornblade, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Zircon

Compound Content

Silicon Dioxide

Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide

Transformation

Metamorphism

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism

Weathering

✔ ✘

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Erosion

✔ ✘

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

75-5.5

1 7

👆🏻

Grain Size

Very fine-grained

Fracture

Uneven

Conchoidal

Streak

White

Porosity

Less Porous

Very Less Porous

Luster

Vitreous

Compressive Strength

200.00 N/mm²0.15 N/mm²

0.15 450

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Cleavage

Toughness

1.1

Specific Gravity

2.5-2.82.6-2.7

0 8.4

👆🏻

Transparency

Opaque

Translucent

Density

2.11-2.36 g/cm³2.6 g/cm³

0 1400

👆🏻

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

2.39 kJ/Kg K0.92 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

👆🏻

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Scratch Resistant, Wear Resistant

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

India, Indonesia, Japan, Nepal, South Korea

Afghanistan, Indonesia, Japan, Russia

Africa

Egypt, Ethiopia, Morocco, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania

Kenya

Europe

Austria, Finland, Germany, Italy, Romania, Turkey, United Kingdom

Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Turkey

Others

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Mexico, USA

Canada, Mexico, USA

South America

Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela

Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, Peru

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

New South Wales, New Zealand, Western Australia

New Zealand

All about Icelandite and Obsidian Properties

Know all about Icelandite and Obsidian properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Icelandite and Obsidian belong to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Icelandite is Aphanitic to Porphyritic whereas that of Obsidian is Glassy. Icelandite appears Dull and Soft and Obsidian appears Shiny. The luster of Icelandite and Obsidian is vitreous. Icelandite is available in bluish - grey, grey, pink, yellow colors whereas Obsidian is available in black, blue, brown, green, orange, red, tan, yellow colors. The commercial uses of Icelandite are cemetery markers, creating artwork and that of Obsidian are creating artwork, mirror, used in aquariums.