Obsidian

Kenyte

Obsidian and Kenyte

Obsidian

Kenyte

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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

Kenyte is a variety of porphyritic phonolite or trachyte rock with rhomb shaped phenocrysts of anorthoclase with variable olivine and augite in a glassy matrix

History

Origin

Ethiopia

Mount Kenya

Discoverer

Obsius

J. W. Gregory

Etymology

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

From the mountain ranges- Mount Kenya and is named by J. W. Gregory in 1900

Class

Igneous Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

Family

Group

Volcanic

Other Categories

Opaque Rock

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Glassy

Glassy, Granular

Color

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

Brown, Buff, Cream, Green, Grey, Pink, White

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Shiny

Banded and Foilated

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration

Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Homes, Interior Decoration, Kitchens

Exterior Uses

Garden Decoration

As Building Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

Arrowheads, Cutting Tool, Knives, Scrapers, Spear Points

As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Making natural cement, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories, Production of Glass and Ceramics

Medical Industry

Surgery

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Jewellery

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

Creating Artwork, Mirror, Used in aquariums

Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork

Types

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

Foidolite

Features

Blocks negativity, Helps to protect against depression

Application of acids on the surface causes cloudy frosting, Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Dissolves in hydrochloric acid, Is one of the oldest rock

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Famous Monuments

Sculpture

Famous Sculptures

Pictographs

Petroglyphs

Figurines

Fossils

Absent

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.

Kenyte 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.

Composition

Mineral Content

Albite, Amphibole, Biotite, Cancrinite, Feldspar, Hornblende, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Sodalite

Compound Content

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

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism

Weathering

✔ ✘

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Biological Weathering

Erosion

✔ ✘

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

5-5.55.5-6

1 7

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Grain Size

Fine Grained

Fracture

Conchoidal

Conchoidal to Uneven

Streak

White

White, Greenish White or Grey

Porosity

Very Less Porous

Highly Porous

Luster

Vitreous

Greasy to Dull

Compressive Strength

0.15 N/mm²150.00 N/mm²

0.15 450

👆🏻

Cleavage

Toughness

Specific Gravity

2.6-2.72.6

0 8.4

👆🏻

Transparency

Translucent

Translucent to Opaque

Density

2.6 g/cm³2.6 g/cm³

0 1400

👆🏻

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.92 kJ/Kg K0.84 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

👆🏻

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Wear Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

Afghanistan, Indonesia, Japan, Russia

Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Vietnam

Africa

Kenya

Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa

Europe

Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Turkey

Andorra, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden

Others

Greenland

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Canada, Mexico, USA

Canada, USA

South America

Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, Peru

Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Uruguay, Venezuela

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

New Zealand

New Zealand, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Western Australia

All about Obsidian and Kenyte Properties

Know all about Obsidian and Kenyte properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Obsidian and Kenyte belong to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Obsidian is Glassy whereas that of Kenyte is Glassy, Granular. Obsidian appears Shiny and Kenyte appears Banded and Foilated. The luster of Obsidian is vitreous while that of Kenyte is greasy to dull. Obsidian is available in black, blue, brown, green, orange, red, tan, yellow colors whereas Kenyte is available in brown, buff, cream, green, grey, pink, white colors. The commercial uses of Obsidian are creating artwork, mirror, used in aquariums and that of Kenyte are cemetery markers, creating artwork.