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Obsidian vs Cataclasite


Cataclasite vs Obsidian


Definition

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  
Cataclasite is a type of cataclastic rock that is formed by fracturing and comminution during faulting. It is normally cohesive and non-foliated, consisting of angular clasts in a finer-grained matrix  

History
  
  

Origin
Ethiopia  
Swiss Alps, Europe  

Discoverer
Obsius  
Michael Tellinger  

Etymology
From Latin obsidianus, misprint of Obsianus (lapis) (stone) of Obsius  
From the Italian word cataclasi  

Class
Igneous Rocks  
Metamorphic Rocks  

Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock  
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock  

Family
  
  

Group
Volcanic  
-  

Other Categories
Opaque Rock  
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock  

Texture

Texture
Glassy  
Clastic  

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

Maintenance
Less  
Less  

Durability
Durable  
Durable  

Water Resistant
Yes  
Yes  

Scratch Resistant
Yes  
No  

Stain Resistant
No  
No  

Wind Resistant
No  
No  

Acid Resistant
No  
No  

Appearance
Shiny  
Dull and Banded  

Uses

Architecture
  
  

Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration  
Decorative Aggregates, Homes  

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

Other Architectural Uses
-  
Curbing  

Industry
  
  

Construction Industry
Arrowheads, Cutting Tool, Knives, Scrapers, Spear Points  
As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate  

Medical Industry
Surgery  
-  

Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Jewellery  
Artifacts  

Other Uses
  
  

Commercial Uses
Creating Artwork, Mirror, Used in aquariums  
Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork  

Types

Types
Fireworks Obsidian, Mahogany, Sheen Obsidian, Snowflake obsidian and Velvet Peacock Obsidian  
Protocataclasite, Mesocataclasite, Ultracataclasite and Foliated cataclasite  

Features
Blocks negativity, Helps to protect against depression  
Easily splits into thin plates, Is one of the oldest rock  

Archaeological Significance
  
  

Monuments
-  
-  

Famous Monuments
-  
-  

Sculpture
-  
-  

Famous Sculptures
-  
-  

Pictographs
-  
-  

Petroglyphs
-  
-  

Figurines
-  
-  

Fossils
Absent  
Absent  

Formation

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.  
Cataclasiste rocks mainly form by pressure deep under the Earth's surface, from the extreme heat caused by magma or by the intense collisions and friction of tectonic plates.  

Composition
  
  

Mineral Content
-  
Albite, Apatite, Augite, Biotite, Calcite, Enstatite, Epidote, Feldspar, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Pyroxene, Quartz  

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

Transformation
  
  

Metamorphism
Yes  
No  

Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism  
-  

Weathering
Yes  
Yes  

Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering  
Mechanical Weathering  

Erosion
Yes  
Yes  

Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion  
Coastal Erosion, Wind Erosion  

Properties

Physical Properties
  
  

Hardness
5-5.5  
3-4  

Grain Size
-  
Fine Grained  

Fracture
Conchoidal  
-  

Streak
White  
Black  

Porosity
Very Less Porous  
Less Porous  

Luster
Vitreous  
Vitreous  

Compressive Strength
0.15 N/mm2  
99+
50.00 N/mm2  
39

Cleavage
-  
-  

Toughness
-  
-  

Specific Gravity
2.6-2.7  
2.1  

Transparency
Translucent  
Translucent to Opaque  

Density
2.6 g/cm3  
2.9-3.1 g/cm3  

Thermal Properties
  
  

Specific Heat Capacity
0.92 kJ/Kg K  
10
0.84 kJ/Kg K  
15

Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant  
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant  

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  

Asia
Afghanistan, Indonesia, Japan, Russia  
China, India, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea  

Africa
Kenya  
Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Morocco, South Africa  

Europe
Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Turkey  
England, Finland, France, Spain, United Kingdom  

Others
-  
-  

Deposits in Western Continents
  
  

North America
Canada, Mexico, USA  
Canada, USA  

South America
Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, Peru  
Argentina, Colombia  

Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  

Australia
New Zealand  
Central Australia, Western Australia  

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Obsidian vs Cataclasite Information

Earth’s outer layer is covered by rocks and these rocks have different physical and chemical properties. As two rocks are not same, it’s fun to compare them. You can also know more about Obsidian and Cataclasite Reserves. 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. Cataclasite is a type of cataclastic rock that is formed by fracturing and comminution during faulting. It is normally cohesive and non-foliated, consisting of angular clasts in a finer-grained matrix. These rocks are composed of many distinct minerals. The process of formation of rocks is different for various rocks. Rocks are quarried from many years for various purposes. You can check out Obsidian vs Cataclasite information and Obsidian vs Cataclasite characteristics in the upcoming sections.

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Obsidian vs Cataclasite 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 Cataclasite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Obsidian and Properties of Cataclasite. Learn more about Obsidian vs Cataclasite in the next section. The interior uses of Obsidian include Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Cataclasite include Decorative aggregates and Homes. Due to some exceptional properties of Obsidian and Cataclasite, 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 Cataclasite include As dimension stone, Building houses or walls, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate.

More about Obsidian and Cataclasite

Here you can know more about Obsidian and Cataclasite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Obsidian and Cataclasite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Obsidian includes and mineral content of Cataclasite includes Albite, Apatite, Augite, Biotite, Calcite, Enstatite, Epidote, Feldspar, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Pyroxene, Quartz. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Obsidian vs Cataclasite, 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, Cataclasite is available in brown, green, white, yellow colors. Appearance of Obsidian is Shiny and that of Cataclasite is Dull and Banded. Properties of rock is another aspect for Obsidian vs Cataclasite. The hardness of Obsidian is 5-5.5 and that of Cataclasite is 3-4. The types of Obsidian are Fireworks Obsidian, Mahogany, Sheen Obsidian, Snowflake obsidian and Velvet Peacock Obsidian whereas types of Cataclasite are Protocataclasite, Mesocataclasite, Ultracataclasite and Foliated cataclasite. 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 Cataclasite is black. The specific heat capacity of Obsidian is 0.92 kJ/Kg K and that of Cataclasite 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 Cataclasite is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant.

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