Home
Compare Rocks


Mylonite and Obsidian


Obsidian and Mylonite


Definition

Definition
Mylonite is a metamorphic rock formed by ductile deformation during intense shearing encountered during folding and faulting, a process termed cataclastic or dynamic metamorphism  
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
New Zealand  
Ethiopia  

Discoverer
Unknown  
Obsius  

Etymology
From Greek mulōn mill + -ite  
From Latin obsidianus, misprint of Obsianus (lapis) (stone) of Obsius  

Class
Metamorphic Rocks  
Igneous Rocks  

Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock  
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock  

Family
  
  

Group
-  
Volcanic  

Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock  
Opaque Rock  

Texture

Texture
Foliated  
Glassy  

Color
Black to Grey  
Black, Blue, Brown, Green, Orange, Red, Tan, Yellow  

Maintenance
Less  
Less  

Durability
Durable  
Durable  

Water Resistant
Yes  
Yes  

Scratch Resistant
Yes  
Yes  

Stain Resistant
No  
No  

Wind Resistant
No  
No  

Acid Resistant
No  
No  

Appearance
Dull, Banded and Foilated  
Shiny  

Uses

Architecture
  
  

Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration  
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration  

Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration  
Garden Decoration  

Other Architectural Uses
Curbing  
-  

Industry
  
  

Construction Industry
for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Roadstone  
Arrowheads, Cutting Tool, Knives, Scrapers, Spear Points  

Medical Industry
-  
Surgery  

Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments  
Artifacts, Jewellery  

Other Uses
  
  

Commercial Uses
Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry  
Creating Artwork, Mirror, Used in aquariums  

Types

Types
Blastomylonites, Ultramylonites and Phyllonites  
Fireworks Obsidian, Mahogany, Sheen Obsidian, Snowflake obsidian and Velvet Peacock Obsidian  

Features
Surfaces are often shiny  
Blocks negativity, Helps to protect against depression  

Archaeological Significance
  
  

Monuments
-  
-  

Famous Monuments
-  
-  

Sculpture
-  
-  

Famous Sculptures
-  
-  

Pictographs
-  
-  

Petroglyphs
-  
-  

Figurines
-  
-  

Fossils
Absent  
Absent  

Formation

Formation
Mylonites are ductilely deformed rocks formed by the accumulation of large shear strain, in ductile fault zones.   
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
Porphyroblasts  
-  

Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, Calcium Sulfate, Chromium(III) Oxide, Iron(III) Oxide, Magnesium Carbonate, Silicon Dioxide  
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide  

Transformation
  
  

Metamorphism
No  
Yes  

Types of 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, Sea Erosion, Wind Erosion  
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion  

Properties

Physical Properties
  
  

Hardness
3-4  
5-5.5  

Grain Size
Fine Grained  
-  

Fracture
Conchoidal  
Conchoidal  

Streak
White  
White  

Porosity
Highly Porous  
Very Less Porous  

Luster
Shiny  
Vitreous  

Compressive Strength
1.28 N/mm2  
99+
0.15 N/mm2  
99+

Cleavage
Conchoidal  
-  

Toughness
-  
-  

Specific Gravity
2.97-3.05  
2.6-2.7  

Transparency
Opaque  
Translucent  

Density
2.6-4.8 g/cm3  
2.6 g/cm3  

Thermal Properties
  
  

Specific Heat Capacity
1.50 kJ/Kg K  
3
0.92 kJ/Kg K  
10

Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant  
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant  

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  

Asia
China, India, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea  
Afghanistan, Indonesia, Japan, Russia  

Africa
Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, South Africa, Western Africa  
Kenya  

Europe
England, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, United Kingdom  
Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Turkey  

Others
-  
-  

Deposits in Western Continents
  
  

North America
USA  
Canada, Mexico, USA  

South America
-  
Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, Peru  

Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  

Australia
Central Australia, Western Australia  
New Zealand  

Summary >>
<< Reserves

All about Mylonite and Obsidian Properties

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

Compare Metamorphic Rocks

Metamorphic Rocks

Metamorphic Rocks

» More Metamorphic Rocks

Compare Metamorphic Rocks

» More Compare Metamorphic Rocks