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
An iron rich extrusive rock found as a member of the alkali basalt magma series
Origin
Ethiopia
Isle of Mull, Scotland
Discoverer
Obsius
Ben More
Etymology
From Latin obsidianus, misprint of Obsianus (lapis) (stone) of Obsius
From the name of discoverer, Ben More
Class
Igneous Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Other Categories
Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Glassy
Glassy, Massive, Porphyritic, Scoriaceous, Trachytic, Vesicular
Color
Black, Blue, Brown, Green, Orange, Red, Tan, Yellow
Black, Brown, Light to Dark Grey
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Shiny
Rough and Dull
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Floor Tiles, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens
Exterior Uses
Garden Decoration
As Building Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
Other Architectural Uses
Not Yet Used
Curbing
Construction Industry
Arrowheads, Cutting Tool, Knives, Scrapers, Spear Points
As Dimension Stone, Cobblestones, Rail Track Ballast, Roadstone
Medical Industry
Surgery
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Jewellery
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Commercial Uses
Creating Artwork, Mirror, Used in aquariums
Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork, Curling
Types
Fireworks Obsidian, Mahogany, Sheen Obsidian, Snowflake obsidian and Velvet Peacock Obsidian
Alkaline Basalt, Boninite, High Alumina Basalt, Mid Ocean Ridge Basalt (MORB) and Tholeiitic Basalt
Features
Blocks negativity, Helps to protect against depression
Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate, Very fine grained rock
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
Not Yet Used
Used
Famous Monuments
Not Applicable
Data Not Available
Sculpture
Not Yet Used
Used
Famous Sculptures
Not Applicable
Data Not Available
Figurines
Not Yet Used
Used
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.
Benmoreite is a type of Igneous rock which is formed through the cooling and solidification of lava or magma. It forms with or without crystallization, either below the surface as intrusive rocks or on the surface as extrusive rocks.
Mineral Content
Not Available
Alkali feldspar, Biotite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Sodic plagioclase
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Not Applicable
Fine Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Conchoidal
Porosity
Very Less Porous
Less Porous
Cleavage
Non-Existent
Perfect
Toughness
Not Available
2.3
Specific Gravity
2.6-2.7
2.8-3
Transparency
Translucent
Opaque
Density
2.6 g/cm3
2.9-3.1 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Afghanistan, Indonesia, Japan, Russia
India, Russia
Africa
Kenya
South Africa
Europe
Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Turkey
Iceland
Others
Not Yet Found
Not Yet Found
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
Not Yet Found
Obsidian vs Benmoreite Characteristics
Though some rocks look identical, they have certain characteristics which distinguish them from others. Characteristics of rocks include texture, appearance, color, fracture, streak, hardness etc. Obsidian vs Benmoreite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Obsidian and Properties of Benmoreite. Learn more about Obsidian vs Benmoreite in the next section. The interior uses of Obsidian include Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Benmoreite include Floor tiles, Homes, Hotels and Kitchens. Due to some exceptional properties of Obsidian and Benmoreite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Obsidian in construction industry include Arrowheads, Cutting tool, Knives, Scrapers, Spear points and that of Benmoreite include As dimension stone, Cobblestones, Rail track ballast, Roadstone.
More about Obsidian and Benmoreite
Here you can know more about Obsidian and Benmoreite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Obsidian and Benmoreite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Obsidian is not available and mineral content of Benmoreite includes Alkali feldspar, Biotite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Sodic plagioclase. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Obsidian vs Benmoreite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Obsidian is available in black, blue, brown, green, orange, red, tan, yellow colors whereas, Benmoreite is available in black, brown, light to dark grey colors. Appearance of Obsidian is Shiny and that of Benmoreite is Rough and Dull. Properties of rock is another aspect for Obsidian vs Benmoreite. The hardness of Obsidian is 5-5.5 and that of Benmoreite is 6. The types of Obsidian are Fireworks Obsidian, Mahogany, Sheen Obsidian, Snowflake obsidian and Velvet Peacock Obsidian whereas types of Benmoreite are Alkaline Basalt, Boninite, High Alumina Basalt, Mid Ocean Ridge Basalt (MORB) and Tholeiitic Basalt. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Obsidian is white while that of Benmoreite is black. The specific heat capacity of Obsidian is 0.92 kJ/Kg K and that of Benmoreite is 0.84 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Obsidian is heat resistant, impact resistant whereas Benmoreite is heat resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant.