Definition
Origin
Discoverer
Etymology
Class
Sub-Class
Group
Other Categories
Texture
Color
Maintenance
Durability
Water Resistant
Scratch Resistant
Stain Resistant
Wind Resistant
Acid Resistant
Appearance
Interior Uses
Exterior Uses
Other Architectural Uses
Construction Industry
Medical Industry
Antiquity Uses
Commercial Uses
Types
Features
Monuments
Famous Monuments
Sculpture
Famous Sculptures
Pictographs
Petroglyphs
Figurines
Fossils
Formation
Mineral Content
Compound Content
Metamorphism
Types of Metamorphism
Weathering
Types of Weathering
Erosion
Types of Erosion
Hardness
Grain Size
Fracture
Streak
Porosity
Luster
Compressive Strength
Cleavage
Toughness
Specific Gravity
Transparency
Density
Specific Heat Capacity
Resistance
Asia
Africa
Europe
Others
North America
South America
Australia
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
From Latin obsidianus, misprint of Obsianus (lapis) (stone) of Obsius
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Black, Blue, Brown, Green, Orange, Red, Tan, Yellow
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Arrowheads, Cutting Tool, Knives, Scrapers, Spear Points
Creating Artwork, Mirror, Used in aquariums
Fireworks Obsidian, Mahogany, Sheen Obsidian, Snowflake obsidian and Velvet Peacock Obsidian
Blocks negativity, Helps to protect against depression
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.
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant
Afghanistan, Indonesia, Japan, Russia
Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Turkey
Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, Peru
Schist is a medium grade metamorphic rock with medium to large, flat, sheet like grains in a preferred orientation
From French schiste, Greek skhistos i.e. split
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Black, Blue, Brown, Dark Brown, Green, Grey, Silver
Decorative Aggregates, Floor Tiles, Interior Decoration
Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Roadstone
Used in aquariums, Writing Slates
Mica Schists, Calc-Silicate Schists, Graphite Schists, Blueschists, Whiteschists, Greenschists, Hornblende Schist, Talc Schist, Chlorite Schist, Garnet Schist, Glaucophane schist.
Easily splits into thin plates, Smooth to touch
Schist formed by dynamic metamorphism at high temperatures and pressures that aligns the grains of mica, hornblende and other elongated minerals into thin layers.
Alusite, Amphibole, Biotite, Chlorite, Epidote, Feldspar, Garnet, Graphite, Hornblade, Kyanite, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Porphyroblasts, Quartz, Sillimanite, Staurolite, Talc
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Water Resistant
Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Japan, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Pakistan, Russia, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam
Egypt, Ethiopia, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa
Austria, England, France, Georgia, Germany, Italy, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland
Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, Mexico, Panama, USA
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland