Obsidian

Conglomerate

Obsidian and Conglomerate

Obsidian

Conglomerate

Add ⊕

Definition

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

Conglomerate is a sedimentary rock which forms from rounded gravel and boulder sized clasts which are cemented together in a matrix

History

Origin

Ethiopia

Italy

Discoverer

Obsius

Unknown

Etymology

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

From Latin conglomeratus, to roll together, i.e. from com together + glomerare to gather into a ball, from glomus (genitive glomeris) a ball

Class

Igneous Rocks

Sedimentary Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

Durable Rock, Soft Rock

Family

Group

Volcanic

Other Categories

Opaque Rock

Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Glassy

Clastic

Color

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

Beige, Black, Brown, Buff, Light to Dark Grey, Orange, Rust, White, Yellow

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Shiny

Shiny and Rounded

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration

Decorative Aggregates, Floor Tiles, Homes

Exterior Uses

Garden Decoration

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Roof Tiles

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

Arrowheads, Cutting Tool, Knives, Scrapers, Spear Points

As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Roadstone

Medical Industry

Surgery

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Jewellery

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

Creating Artwork, Mirror, Used in aquariums

Cemetery Markers, In aquifers, Tombstones

Types

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

Orthoconglomerate and Paraconglomerate

Features

Blocks negativity, Helps to protect against depression

Clasts are smooth to touch, Is one of the oldest rock, Matrix variable

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Famous Monuments

Sculpture

Famous Sculptures

Pictographs

Petroglyphs

Figurines

Fossils

Absent

Present

Formation

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.

Conglomerate forms where sediments consisting mainly of pebble and cobble-size clasts at least two millimeters in diameter starts accumulating.

Composition

Mineral Content

Clay, Sand, Silica, Silt

Compound Content

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

NaCl, CaO

Transformation

Metamorphism

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

Weathering

✔ ✘

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Erosion

✔ ✘

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

5-5.52-3

1 7

👆🏻

Grain Size

Coarse Grained

Fracture

Conchoidal

Uneven

Streak

White

Porosity

Very Less Porous

Highly Porous

Luster

Vitreous

Dull

Compressive Strength

0.15 N/mm²70.00 N/mm²

0.15 450

👆🏻

Cleavage

Toughness

Specific Gravity

2.6-2.72.86-2.88

0 8.4

👆🏻

Transparency

Translucent

Opaque

Density

2.6 g/cm³1.7-2.3 g/cm³

0 1400

👆🏻

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.92 kJ/Kg K0.92 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

👆🏻

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant

Heat Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

Afghanistan, Indonesia, Japan, Russia

China, India, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, Uzbekistan

Africa

Kenya

Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa

Europe

Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Turkey

Austria, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom

Others

Greenland

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Canada, Mexico, USA

Canada, USA

South America

Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, Peru

Brazil

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

New Zealand

New South Wales, New Zealand

All about Obsidian and Conglomerate Properties

Know all about Obsidian and Conglomerate properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Obsidian belongs to Igneous Rocks while Conglomerate belongs to Sedimentary Rocks.Texture of Obsidian is Glassy whereas that of Conglomerate is Clastic. Obsidian appears Shiny and Conglomerate appears Shiny and Rounded. The luster of Obsidian is vitreous while that of Conglomerate is dull. Obsidian is available in black, blue, brown, green, orange, red, tan, yellow colors whereas Conglomerate is available in beige, black, brown, buff, light to dark grey, orange, rust, white, yellow colors. The commercial uses of Obsidian are creating artwork, mirror, used in aquariums and that of Conglomerate are cemetery markers, in aquifers, tombstones.