obsidian - black obsidian - UNIT of 5 STUDENT SPECIMENS

Description

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Obsidian - teaching student specimens of typical black obsidian - Unit of 5 specimens
Obsidian is a volcanic glass with the composition of granite or rhyolite. Because it cooled and solidified almost instantaneously in the earliest stages of an explosive volcanic eruption, its atoms did not have enough time to fall into a regular crystalline pattern and are essentially an unorganized mass of atoms exhibiting the curved or conchoidal fracture typical of glass.
The color of obsidian is due to impurities. Black obsidian results when the impurities are hornblende, magnetite, biotite or a pyroxine. Brown obsidian forms when the impurity is hematite or limonite. Inclusions of gas or tiny inclusions of water result in a silvery reflectance that is desirable in lapidary. Brown and black are commonly swirled together in some obsidian flows.
Almost every obsidian source in North America was known to native Americans. Since obsidian from each source is geochemically distinct, the origin of the obsidian used in stone tools can be traced. Many surprisingly obscure sources, such as obsidian float in alluvium where the original flow has weathered away, were utilized for cutting tools or was collected as trading material.
We really don't like the tiny finger nail-sized specimens offered to students, as we feel these are too small to see rock textures and too small for examining the identifying characteristics of a mineral. We want the "Oh, Wow!" effect when students see the set of specimens they are going to work with. We collect these specimens so that five specimens, or possibly six, will fit in a small flat rate box, and we keep the price low, as we know these will be used in a classroom. For teachers we count like a baker and a dozen is more than 12, since you will always need a few spares.  If you are a teacher, let us know.
You are buying a unit of five student specimens. The photo is representative of what we ship.
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Ships in a small Priority Mail flat rate box unless combined with other purchases. We always combine shipping to get your purchase to you at the lowest cost. We do not charge for handling. We refund any overpayments on shipping beyond our actual cost. A second unit moves the shipment into a larger box. We can generally ship 4 to 5 student units or a number of hand specimens in that box with no further increase in postage.
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