Obsidian

Wehrlite

Obsidian and Wehrlite

Obsidian

Wehrlite

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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

Wehrlite is an ultramafic and ultrabasic rock that is a mixture of olivine and clinopyroxene. It is a subdivision of the peridotites

History

Origin

Ethiopia

Egypt

Discoverer

Obsius

Alois Wehrle

Etymology

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

From the name of a professor, Alois Wehrle

Class

Igneous Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

Family

Group

Volcanic

Plutonic

Other Categories

Opaque Rock

Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Glassy

Banded

Color

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

Dark Greenish - Grey, Green

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Shiny

Rough and Banded

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses

Garden Decoration

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

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

Arrowheads, Cutting Tool, Knives, Scrapers, Spear Points

As Dimension Stone, Cobblestones

Medical Industry

Surgery

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Jewellery

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

Creating Artwork, Mirror, Used in aquariums

Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry

Types

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

Ultramafic rock

Features

Blocks negativity, Helps to protect against depression

Constitutes upper part of the Earth's mantle, Generally rough to touch, 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.

Wehrlite 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

Pyroxene

Compound Content

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

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

Transformation

Metamorphism

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Impact 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, Water Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

5-5.55.5-6

1 7

👆🏻

Grain Size

Coarse Grained

Fracture

Conchoidal

Irregular

Streak

White

Porosity

Very Less Porous

Less Porous

Luster

Vitreous

Metallic

Compressive Strength

0.15 N/mm²100.00 N/mm²

0.15 450

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Cleavage

Perfect

Toughness

2.1

Specific Gravity

2.6-2.78.4

0 8.4

👆🏻

Transparency

Translucent

Opaque

Density

2.6 g/cm³2.6-3.7 g/cm³

0 1400

👆🏻

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.92 kJ/Kg K0.63 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

👆🏻

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

Afghanistan, Indonesia, Japan, Russia

China, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Russia, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey

Africa

Kenya

Morocco, South Africa

Europe

Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Turkey

Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Kazakhstan, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Switzerland

Others

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 Zealand, Western Australia

All about Obsidian and Wehrlite Properties

Know all about Obsidian and Wehrlite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Obsidian and Wehrlite belong to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Obsidian is Glassy whereas that of Wehrlite is Banded. Obsidian appears Shiny and Wehrlite appears Rough and Banded. The luster of Obsidian is vitreous while that of Wehrlite is metallic. Obsidian is available in black, blue, brown, green, orange, red, tan, yellow colors whereas Wehrlite is available in dark greenish - grey, green colors. The commercial uses of Obsidian are creating artwork, mirror, used in aquariums and that of Wehrlite are cemetery markers, creating artwork, gemstone, jewelry.