1.9" Polished Mahogany Obsidian Sphere - Mexico

This is a nearly 1.9" specimen of Mahogany Obsidian, collected from a location that's west of the city of Guadalajara, Mexico. This obsidian specimen has been polished, revealing the swirls and streaks of red/orange color that give this form of obsidian its name.

Obsidian forms following an extrusive, felsic (high silicate content) lava eruption. The lava cools fast, not allowing for crystal formation, leaving the mineralization with characteristics similar to glass. When given enough time to cool, obsidian (volcanic glass) can form crystals in a variety of different colors, depending on composition.