![]() The material offered for sale is, in fact, a man-made glass produced in places such as Indonesia and China. Please note: “Transparent blue or green Obsidian”Ī lot of gem-quality water-clear brightly colored “O bsidian” has been offered for sale on the internet with a variety of sources listed. Where ever this material comes from or however it was formed, it is a stunning gem of the finest Tsavorite green color. Some say it is a natural volcanic glass, some argue that it is man-made glass, others claim it is of meteoric origin similar to Moldavite. It is reported to be found in alluvial deposits and in a river bed at the base of Mt. One source says the Tanzanian natives call it Obsidianite. This mysterious gem has been called many names including Green Obsidian, African Moldavite, Tanzanian Tektite, Green Volcanic Glass and green man-made glass. Apache Tears are usually translucent to transparent and medium brown in color. The wives and families of the warriors cried when they heard of the tragedy and their tears turned to stone upon hitting the ground. ![]() Facing defeat, the outnumbered Apache warriors rode their horses off the mountain to their deaths rather than be killed by the soldiers. The legend is that about 75 Apache warriors and the US Cavalry fought on a mountain overlooking what is now Superior, Arizona in the 1870s. These are often called Cosmic Obsidian.Īnother type of Obsidian is called “Apache Tears” because of a legend of the Apache tribe. There are also translucent Obsidian gems with white inclusions of Cristobalite. Rainbow Obsidian has an iridescent, rainbow-like sheen. Mahogany Obsidian has brownish-red patches or swirls of black Obsidian while Snowflake Obsidian has greyish white patches of black Obsidian. The most common are opaque cabochons of black, Mahogany, Snowflake or Rainbow Obsidian. There are several types of Obsidian typically offered as gems. Most Obsidian is typically opaque black and not desirable for faceting. It is sometimes classified instead as a mineraloid. Otherwise, it is very similar in composition to granite and rhyolite. Obsidian consists mainly of silicon dioxide and is mineral-like, but not a true mineral because it has no crystal structure and therefore is amorphous. It is produced from volcanoes when certain types of lava cool rapidly by flowing into a body of water. However, the jewelry items made using obsidian are not very durable.Obsidian, also known as volcanic glass, is a rock rather than a mineral that is a mixture of cryptocrystalline grains of silica minerals in a glass-like suspension. It is polished and processed to make highly reflective beads. Obsidian is shaped into beads, cabochons, and tumbled stones to make jewelry items. These blades are used in scalpels for complicated surgeries. Obsidian is used to make cutting tips that are thinner and sharper than high-quality surgical steel. Modern-day uses include using obsidian as a cutting tool in surgeries. Recent discoveries have shown that people in the stone age used obsidian to make arrowheads, spears, knife blades, and scrapers. Obsidian has been used in prehistoric and historical times as a cutting tool. Obsidian talus at Obsidian Dome, California Obsidian Uses ![]() Most obsidian used in jewelry is produced in the US. It is found in many locations like Arizona, California, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming. The United States has large obsidian reserves as well. Obsidian is found in large quantities in North America, Argentina, Chile, Greece, Ecuador, Hungary, Iceland, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Peru, Russia, and Japan. The problem with this rock is that it is quickly damaged by weathering, heat, or other climatic events. Obsidian is present in large quantities all around the world, but it is confined to areas of geologically recent volcanic activity. It is also formed around the edges of a sill or dike (intrusive settings). It can also form in intrusive rock settings around the edges of a sill or a dike. It forms along the edges of a lava flow, edges of a volcanic dome, and lava cooling sites. ![]() Obsidian mostly solidifies above the earth’s surface (extrusive). Aluminum oxide content is lower than rhyolite and granite. These components are often responsible for the color changes in the rock. The common and abundant components include SiO2 (silica), MgO, and Fe2O3. Obsidian’s composition is pretty similar to rhyolite and granite.
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