Obsidian

Novaculite

Obsidian and Novaculite

Obsidian

Novaculite

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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

Novaculite is a dense, hard, fine-grained, siliceous metamorpic rock which is a type of chert that breaks with conchoidal fracture

History

Origin

Ethiopia

Discoverer

Obsius

Unknown

Etymology

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

From Latin word novacula, for razor stone

Class

Igneous Rocks

Sedimentary Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

Durable Rock, Hard Rock

Family

Group

Volcanic

Other Categories

Opaque Rock

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Glassy

Banded, Glassy, Rough, Vitreous

Color

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

Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Red, White

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Shiny

Glassy or Pearly

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration

Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses

Garden Decoration

As Building Stone, Garden Decoration

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

Arrowheads, Cutting Tool, Knives, Scrapers, Spear Points

Arrowheads, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, Cutting Tool, for Road Aggregate, Knives, Landscaping, Making natural cement, Production of Glass and Ceramics, Rail Track Ballast, Roadstone, Spear Points, Used to sharpen metal tools and weapons

Medical Industry

Surgery

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Jewellery

Artifacts, Monuments

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

Creating Artwork, Mirror, Used in aquariums

Cemetery Markers, Gemstone, In aquifers, In fire-starting tools, Jewelry, Manufacture of tools, Pebbles are used in ball mills to grind in ceramics industry, To determine the gold content of jewelry

Types

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

Sedimentary rock

Features

Blocks negativity, Helps to protect against depression

Clasts are smooth to touch, Easily splits into thin plates, Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate

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.

Novaculite forms when microcrystals of silicon dioxide grow within soft sediments that become limestone or chalk. The formation of Novaculite can be either of chemical or biological origin.

Composition

Mineral Content

Quartz, Silicon

Compound Content

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

Ca, Silicon 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, Glacier Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

5-5.57

1 7

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Grain Size

Fine Grained

Fracture

Conchoidal

Streak

White

Porosity

Very Less Porous

Less Porous

Luster

Vitreous

Waxy and Dull

Compressive Strength

0.15 N/mm²450.00 N/mm²

0.15 450

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Cleavage

Toughness

1.5

Specific Gravity

2.6-2.72.5-2.7

0 8.4

👆🏻

Transparency

Translucent

Translucent to Opaque

Density

2.6 g/cm³2.7 g/cm³

0 1400

👆🏻

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.92 kJ/Kg K0.74 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

👆🏻

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

Afghanistan, Indonesia, Japan, Russia

China, India, Iran, Japan, Oman, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam

Africa

Kenya

Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania

Europe

Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Turkey

Austria, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom

Others

Greenland, Mid-Atlantic Ridge

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Canada, Mexico, USA

South America

Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, Peru

Bolivia, Brazil

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

New Zealand

New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia

All about Obsidian and Novaculite Properties

Know all about Obsidian and Novaculite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Obsidian belongs to Igneous Rocks while Novaculite belongs to Sedimentary Rocks.Texture of Obsidian is Glassy whereas that of Novaculite is Banded, Glassy, Rough, Vitreous. Obsidian appears Shiny and Novaculite appears Glassy or Pearly. The luster of Obsidian is vitreous while that of Novaculite is waxy and dull. Obsidian is available in black, blue, brown, green, orange, red, tan, yellow colors whereas Novaculite is available in black, brown, green, grey, red, white colors. The commercial uses of Obsidian are creating artwork, mirror, used in aquariums and that of Novaculite are cemetery markers, gemstone, in aquifers, in fire-starting tools, jewelry, manufacture of tools, pebbles are used in ball mills to grind in ceramics industry, to determine the gold content of jewelry.