Nested Black Obsidian Spheres and Mookaite Egg-Shaped Jasper
Approximate: Spheres: Height - 5" - Width - 5" - Depth - 5"
Nested Black Obsidian Spheres and Mookaite Egg-Shaped Jasper: $2200.00 U.S.D.
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Obsidian Sphere Origination: Magdalena, Mexico
Mookaite Jasper Egg Origination: 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. Obsidian is commonly found within the margins of rhyolitic lava flows known as obsidian flows, where the chemical composition (high silica content) induces a high viscosity and polymerization degree of the lava. The inhibition of atomic diffusion through this highly viscous and polymerized lava explains the lack of crystal growth. Obsidian is hard and brittle; it therefore fractures with very sharp edges, which were used in the past in cutting and piercing tools, and has been used experimentally as surgical scalpel blades. Among the various forms of glass we may reckon Obsian glass, a substance very similar to the stone found by Obsius in Ethiopia. The translation into English of Natural History written by the elder Pliny of Rome shows a few sentences on the subject of a volcanic glass called Obsian, so named from its resemblance to a stone found in Ethiopia by Obsius, a Roman explorer.
Obsidian is the rock formed as a result of quickly cooled lava, which is the parent material. Tektites were once thought by many to be obsidian produced by lunar volcanic eruptions, though few scientists now adhere to this hypothesis. Obsidian is mineral-like, but not a true mineral because as a glass it is not crystalline; in addition, its composition is too complex to comprise a single mineral. It is sometimes classified as a mineraloid. Though obsidian is usually dark in color similar to mafic rocks such as basalt, obsidian's composition is extremely felsic. Obsidian consists mainly of SiO2 (silicon dioxide), usually 70% or more. Crystalline rocks with obsidian's composition include graniteand rhyolite.
Because obsidian is metastable at the Earth's surface (over time the glass becomes fine-grained mineral crystals), no obsidian has been found that is older than Cretaceous age. This breakdown of obsidian is accelerated by the presence of water. Having a low water content when newly formed, typically less than 1% water by weight, obsidian becomes progressively hydrated when exposed to groundwater, forming perlite. Pure obsidian is usually dark in appearance, though the color varies depending on the presence of impurities. Iron and magnesium typically give the obsidian a dark brown to black color. Very few samples are nearly colorless. In some stones, the inclusion of small, white, radially clustered crystals of cristobalite in the black glass produce a blotchy or snowflake pattern (snowflake obsidian). Obsidian may contain patterns of gas bubbles remaining from the lava flow, aligned along layers created as the molten rock was flowing before being cooled. These bubbles can produce interesting effects such as a golden sheen (sheen obsidian). An iridescent, rainbow-like sheen (rainbow obsidian) is caused by inclusions of magnetite nanoparticles.
Mookaite jasper has always held a special fascination for me because of its glorious colors that are so strongly reminiscent of the Desert Southwest or the Outback of Australia. I absolutely adore mookaite jasper and often wonder why I don't use it more often. That was remedied the other day when I made a pair of earrings using the gorgeous gemstone paired with garnet. But before showing off the "Alice Springs" earrings, here is some fascinating (at least to me) information about mookaite jasper:Mookaite jasper, a beautiful type of quartz, is only found in one area of the world, in the Kennedy Ranges near Gascoyne Junction in Western Australia. It is found in outcroppings near Mooka Creek, where it gets its name. The name "mooka" is an Aboriginal word meaning "running water" and refers to the numerous springs that feed into Mooka Creek. Even though this jasper is spelled many different ways (mookite, moakite, moukaite, etc.), the correct spelling is considered "mookaite" after Mooka Creek.
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