Metapelite

Obsidian

Metapelite and Obsidian

Metapelite

Obsidian

Add ⊕

Definition

Metapelite is an old and currently not widely used field geological term for a clay rich fine-grained clastic sediment or sedimentary rock, i.e. mud or a mudstone

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

Ethiopia

Discoverer

Unknown

Obsius

Etymology

From Pelos or clay in Greek

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

Class

Metamorphic Rocks

Igneous Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

Family

Group

Volcanic

Other Categories

Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Opaque Rock

Texture

Foliated

Glassy

Color

Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Light Green, Light Greenish Grey

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

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Banded

Shiny

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone

Garden Decoration

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate

Arrowheads, Cutting Tool, Knives, Scrapers, Spear Points

Medical Industry

Surgery

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts

Artifacts, Jewellery

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork

Creating Artwork, Mirror, Used in aquariums

Types

Metamorphic rock

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

Features

Easily splits into thin plates, It is One of the Oldest, Strongest and Hardest Rock

Blocks negativity, Helps to protect against depression

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Famous Monuments

Sculpture

Famous Sculptures

Pictographs

Petroglyphs

Figurines

Fossils

Absent

Formation

Due to change in environmental conditions, rocks are heated and pressurized deep inside the Earth's surface. Metapelite is formed from the extreme heat caused by magma or by the intense collisions and friction of tectonic plates.

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

Albite, Chlorite, Quartz

Compound Content

Aluminium Oxide, CaO, MgO

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

Weathering

✔ ✘

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Erosion

✔ ✘

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

5-65-5.5

1 7

👆🏻

Grain Size

Medium to Fine Coarse Grained

Fracture

Fibrous

Conchoidal

Streak

White

Porosity

Highly Porous

Very Less Porous

Luster

Earthy

Vitreous

Compressive Strength

40.00 N/mm²0.15 N/mm²

0.15 450

👆🏻

Cleavage

Toughness

Specific Gravity

3.4-3.72.6-2.7

0 8.4

👆🏻

Transparency

Opaque

Translucent

Density

0-300 g/cm³2.6 g/cm³

0 1400

👆🏻

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.72 kJ/Kg K0.92 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

👆🏻

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

Afghanistan, Indonesia, Japan, Russia

Africa

Western Africa

Kenya

Europe

United Kingdom

Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Turkey

Others

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Canada, Mexico, USA

South America

Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador

Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, Peru

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

Central Australia, Western Australia

New Zealand

All about Metapelite and Obsidian Properties

Know all about Metapelite and Obsidian properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Metapelite belongs to Metamorphic Rocks while Obsidian belongs to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Metapelite is Foliated whereas that of Obsidian is Glassy. Metapelite appears Banded and Obsidian appears Shiny. The luster of Metapelite is earthy while that of Obsidian is vitreous. Metapelite is available in dark greenish - grey, green, light green, light greenish grey colors whereas Obsidian is available in black, blue, brown, green, orange, red, tan, yellow colors. The commercial uses of Metapelite are commemorative tablets, creating artwork and that of Obsidian are creating artwork, mirror, used in aquariums.