Obsidian is the name given to a silica rich volcanic rock, glassy in appearance being either clear or opaque, whose base colour range is black, dark grey to dark brown. Obsidian glass can contain various mineral deposits or have a banding/layered effect due to the different rates of the cooling of the lava flow, as exhibited by Rainbow Obsidian. There is a wide range of crystals termed as being Obsidian.
Obsidians are grounding and protective and stabilizing stones due to their connections to the base chakra but also connect to other chakras depending on the mineral inclusions and the colour frequency, thus having other metaphysical properties and attributes.
The following types of Obsidian have various coloured or patterned forms and are described in greater detail under the different varieties.
Apache Tears – dark grey/brown mainly clear and “rounded”
Black – black often quite opaque
Gold Sheen – gold “sparkly” effects
Mahogany – brown markings
Rainbow – “rainbow” coloured banding effects
Silver Sheen – silver “sparkly” effects
Snowflake – grey/white “snowflakes”