GUMAGA, NAWAF A.

STEM 11-B
EARTH SCIENCE

IGNEOUS ROCK - OBSIDIAN

1. History of formation
Most of the known deposits originated in the Pliocene period 2-4 million years ago.
Obsidian finds are no older than the Cenozoic era (new life), which has been going
on for 65 million years [1-4]. Since obsidian is the result of volcanic activity and lava
eruptions, it is formed in nature where there are active volcanoes, dormant or extinct.
Therefore, the scope of its distribution is quite wide. The mineral was first discovered
9,000 years ago in Mesopotamia. Large deposits of this stone are found in countries
with high volcano activity, such as Mexico, Ecuador, Japan (Hokkaido island),
Turkey, and Armenia. Mexico has the largest deposits of obsidian, and there are rare
species of it - red and brown-red.

2. Common environment of formation

Obsidian is produced from volcanoes when felsic lava cools and freezes without
sufficient time for crystal growth. It is commonly found in areas where the cooling of
lava was rapid—such as at the margins of the lava flows and in places where the
lava entered a lake or sea.

3. Common texture
The common texture of an obsidian is glassy, smooth, like a glass.

4. Common use of the rock

What is obsidian used for? Obsidian has been used across history to make weapons,
implements, tools, ornaments, and mirrors. Because of its conchoidal fracture
(smooth curved surfaces and sharp edges), the sharpest stone artifacts were
fashioned from obsidian.

SEDIMENTARY ROCK - CHERT

1. History of formation
It was originally the name for chert found in chalk or marly limestone formations
formed by a replacement of calcium carbonate with silica. Commonly found as
nodules, this variety was often used in past times to make bladed tools. Today, some
geologists refer to any dark gray to black chert as flint.

2. Common environment of formation

Cherts typically form in places where clastic influx is low (i.e. clastic starved), or in
carbonate environments. Both of these generally require tectonic quiesence. The
very clean nature of this specimen (indicated by its color) tells us it was probably
formed in a very clastic-clean carbonate environment.

3. Common texture
The texture of a chert is Nonclastic; Very fine-grained

4. Common use of the rock

In some areas, it is ubiquitous as stream gravel and fieldstone and is currently used
as construction material and road surfacing. Part of chert's popularity in road
surfacing or driveway construction is that rain tends to firm and compact chert while
other fill often gets muddy when wet.

METAMORPHIC ROCK - GNEISS

1. History of formation
How was it formed? Gneiss is formed from another metamorphic rock called schist,
which itself started out life as a sedimentary rock called shale. To form a gneiss you
need to subject the original rock to very great pressures and allow time for new large
crystals to grow slowly.

2. Common environment of formation

Gneiss usually forms by regional metamorphism at convergent plate boundaries. It is
a high-grade metamorphic rock in which mineral grains recrystallized under intense
heat and pressure.

3.Common texture
The texture of a gneiss is Foliated, foliation on a scale of cm or more.

4. Common use of the rock

Metamorphic Gneiss has many uses as a building material such as flooring,
ornamental stones, gravestones, facing stones on buildings and work surfaces.