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obsidian - divine stone
The primary source of obsidian in North and South America is near volcanic activity on the western side of the North and South American continents.
It is iron and magnesium that give the obsidian its dark green to black color.
Obsidian is sometimes confused with the darker specimens of smoky quartz. Obsidian has similar properties to quartz because of a similar chemistry. However, many properties dependant on a crystal structure are altered or absent in obsidian because it lacks any crystal structure of its own.
 black glass

natural obsidian plug; klamath basin

A dense volcanic glass, obsidian is formed when volcanic lava comes in contact with water and lava cools so fast that crystals do not have time to grow -- such as when molten lava pours into a lake or ocean, instantly chilling. The process produces a glassy texture in the resulting rock.
There are several varieties of obsidian. Obsidian can contain small bubbles of air that are aligned along layers created as the molten rock was flowing just before being cooled. These bubbles can produce interesting effects which make a marked difference in the obsidian.

snowflake obsidian

One variety of obsidian, with a markedly golden sheen, is known as sheen obsidian. Another, with an array of rainbow colors is called rainbow obsidian.
Yet another has inclusions of small, white, radially clustered crystals of cristobalite in the black glass that produce a blotchy or snowflake pattern, producing snowflake obsidian. And, small nuggets of obsidian that have been naturally rounded and smoothed by wind and water are called Apache tears.

symbolic attributes

metaphysical
astrological gem Virgo
energy projective / yang
planet Saturn
element earth, fire