I recently learned that some Crystal Comrades have difficulty distinguishing Black Tektite and Black Obsidian. I immediately understood why this might be. In this article I'll guide you in how you can differentiate these two forms of glass from one another. Also, worth mentioning is lava rock, which will be discussed below. Let's talk similarities first. Both of these (black obsidian and black tektite) are a shiny deep black color and are lightweight. This is due to the substance we're discussing being glass, which is much lighter than stone or crystalline forms. They are formed when heat melts material from the Earth's crust and then cools down forming pockets of Obsidian or areas of Tektite. The way these are created is only similar in basic definition. Obsidian is entirely formed by the Earth. Molten material (lava, for example) from the Earth's crust cools rapidly. This rapid cooling does not allow the atoms to crystallize leaving it an amorphous material. Thus it is a mineraloid, a volcanic glass that is a bit harder than window glass. Tektite, on the other hand, was formed when a meteorite impacted the Earth's surface causing crust material to fly up into the atmosphere where it is heated on re-entry. As it returns to the surface of the Earth it is cooled which creates glassy formations with pockmarks. They can take a variety of shapes from spheres, teardrops, dumbbells, disks, and rods, as well as layered forms. Most of what we find on the market for metaphysical collectors are small, under 300 grams (10 ounces), but layered forms can be as much as 30 pounds or more. Generally speaking, however, what you see in the upper right image is the typical size you'll find. Black Obsidian is smooth in some areas and irregular in others, while Black Tektite can be smooth, but with pockmarks, pit-like indentions. Obsidian does not have pockmarks. Both of these can be cleaned and polished to reveal a very shiny material. If you're holding a fairly smooth tektite and comparing it to obsidian, they would look quite similar and differentiation would be a challenge. Tektite are found in areas called the strewn field, an area in which a meteorite, comet or asteroid is suspected to have impacted the Earth. The trick is that a strewn field is HUGE. Indochinite tektites, which are black in color, come from the East from Australia as far north as Southern China, and possibly Western Canada (think about Pangea). Black Tektites can be from North America, as well. Black Obsidian is found in many parts of the world where volcanic activity exists: "Argentina, Canada, Chile, Ecuador, Greece, Guatemala, Hungary, Iceland, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Russia, United States, and many other locations" where volcanic activity is recent. "In the United States it is not found east of the Mississippi River, as there is no geologically recent volcanic activity there. In the western US it is found at many locations in Arizona, California, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming. Most obsidian used in the jewelry trade is produced in the United States." (1, King) As I'm writing this article, I'm thinking of other stones which may be confused with Black Obsidian and Black Tektite. The only one that comes to mind is lava rock, like those used in jewelry which are porous and often used to hold essential oils. They are black with a porous surface that could look similar to black tektite. And, if you thought to yourself, "isn't obsidian a type of lava rock?" you'd be right. Lava is a term for a particular form of molten material. Let's compare some images... With tektites, what you are looking for are small sizes (less than 10 ounces/300 grams), smooth and pockmarked surfaces, for the most part. There are other shapes associated with tektites. With lava rocks, the pores on the surface tend to be deeper than the pockmarks of the tektite. And, obsidian tends to be smooth or irregular at the surface, but without pores or pockmarks. All of these are lighter in weight than crystals and most stones. My recommendation is to educate yourself further on these if you are seeking a piece for a particular purpose. For stone and crystal identification use geology sites and books to determine the particular physical characteristics. Use metaphysical sites ad books for learning the energetic properties of the stones you seek. See our article on distinguishing sodalite and lapis lazuli. Watch our video on Tetktite & Meteorite (click here) Sources:
1) King, Hobart M. “Obsidian: What Is Obsidian, How Does It Form, and What Is It Used For?” Geology, https://geology.com/rocks/obsidian.shtml. 2) “Obsidian: Volcanic Glass.” Edited by Encyclopedia Brittanica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., https://www.britannica.com/science/obsidian. 3) Horne, B. (2019, March 2). What is the composition of a lava rock? Sciencing. Geology. Retrieved March 29, 2022, from https://sciencing.com/composition-lava-rock-8067279.html 4) Virgil E. Barnes, “Tektites,” Handbook of Texas Online, accessed March 29, 2022, https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/tektites.
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In this article, we will discuss the identification of crystals by the naked eye and with minimal magnification. Some crystals would require some higher technology if identification were crucial, but in most cases your eye and a magnifying glass in good lighting will be enough. NOTE: I am not a geologist or a jeweler. I am a crystal healer and collector, and as such, the crystals and stones I seek are not those sold at highest prices on the mainstream market or necessarily unique natural pieces.
Telling the difference between similar stones is sometimes very challenging. If you're new to the arena of crystals and stones this can be even more daunting. There are two things I find challenging for myself even after being a collector for 10+ years and a crystal healer for another 6 years. 1) The size of the stone matters. A very small stone sometimes does not have all the identifying characteristics in size that's easy enough to clearly distinguish. Even when magnified, some are too small to identify confidently. A crystal that's the size of a bead is often too small for me to identify when it is similar to another or several other stones. One example, which I've written about is sodalite and lapis lazuli. Others include jet and black onyx, serpentine and dark green aventurine. In larger pieces these can be ditinguished, but when the stone is as small as a bead it becomes a challenge. 2) The finish of the stone matters: natural, polished, cut, carved - polish really brings out a stones color and markings, making them easier to identify, in most cases. Unless you're into geology or love the natural stones, most people have more ease identifying a polished stone. However, some stones are best kept in a natural state and are more easily identified because no changes have been made to them. Clear quartz is easier to identify when it is in its natural state as a point or in a cluster. It has six sides, is clear, and grows in a point structure. There certainly are other crystals that grow as points and are clear; apophylite, for example. But, apophylite has only 4 sides. There are other defining characteristics to these two, but we're discussing identification of stones and crystals based on what you can see with the naked eye or with a simple magnifying glass. When trying to identify a natural stone, water can be of help. If the piece you are attempting to ID is not one suspected of being damaged by water, you can get it wet to bring out the colors a bit more. Before using water, be sure that the stones you speculate are safe to get wet. Selenite is one example of a crystal that should be kept away from water. In most instances, a magnifying glass in good lighting will suffice for identification. But, occasionally, people may find they are holding what's considered a family heirloom or one that perhaps appears to be diamond or saphhire, or any gem quality piece. Since these could hold value far above their cousins in the crystalline world involving a professional would be an appropriate step. Found a natural piece that you hope is diamond? Check out this website: www.johnbetts-fineminerals.com/jhbnyc/diamondtest.htm Got a gem or a piece of jewelry that might be a diamond? Check out this website: www.diamonds.pro/education/how-to-tell-if-diamonds-are-real/ Watch our Video on Tektite & Meteorite (click here) See our other stone identifying articles: Differentiating Black Obsidian from Black Tektite Differentiationg Sodalite and Lapis Lazuli These two stones at first look appear to be the same. But if we take a moment with each, they can be easily distinguished from one another. The important thing as we begin to differentiate crystals with similar physical characteristics is to compare two stones with the same finish. Take a look at a tumbled sodalite and a tumbled lapis lazuli. Compare a rough sodalite with a rough lapis lazuli. After you've come to be able to tell these apart when compared to the other of the same finish, then see if you can tell them apart when comparing different finishes. Also, once you see the differences you can know what you're looking at without a comparison. First things first, let's see what these look like. Both are blue, with white markings or veins. The mineral structure is very similar which is why they appear alike and are often mistaken. In fact, as I perused the internet I saw sodalite advertised as lapis lazuli and lapis lazuli advertised as sodalite. That's how similar they are, even suppliers sell them incorrectly. As described in the Book of Stones (see below for reference) both of these are a sodium aluminum silicate with an isometric crystalline structure. The white color you see in each photo is white calcite which occurs naturally in both lapis lazuli and sodalite. So, what's the trick to telling them apart? There are two distinct features to look for.
1. Pyrite. Lapis Lazuli has pyrite inclusions - pyrite is fool's gold. It has a metallic gold like appearance. Some Lapis Lazuli, like the point in the photo above (right), has a lot of pyrite and is easily seen. Others, like the raw stone above (first set of pics, right), have less or the pyrite is less easily seen. To me tumbled and polished stones are easiest to discern. 2. The blue color. Sodalite is often a darker blue, sometimes gray or such a dark blue that it appears nearly black in some places on a stone. Lapis Lazuli typically has a brighter blue color. So, is your Lapis actually Lapis? Is your sodalite actually sodalite? If you've got both, take a look at the differences, you may be able to help a friend tell them apart one day. Photos: left side are all sodalite, right side are all lapis lazuli. See our article on distinguishing Black Obsidian and Black Tektite. Watch our video on Meteorite & Tektite (click here) References The book of stones: who they are and what they teach Simmons & Ahsian - North Atlantic - 2011 |
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