The colors are thought to be caused mainly by trace elements or inclusions. However, it can also be brown, tan, or green. Rainbow Obsidian: A baroque cabochon of iridescent 'rainbow obsidian.'īlack is the most common color of obsidian. Mahogany obsidian: A tumble-polished specimen of 'mahogany obsidian.' Image copyright iStockphoto / Arpad Benedek. The nice photo above is from the Glass Butte Rockhounding Site page on the Deschutes National Forest website.
Clockwise from upper left are: double flow obsidian, rainbow obsidian, black obsidian, pumpkin obsidian, mahogany obsidian, gold sheen obsidian, and the piece in the center is gold sheen.
It shows the diversity of obsidian types that can be found in a small geographic area. Types of Obsidian: The specimens shown above are from Glass Butte rockhounding site in central Oregon.
