igneous

Apache Tear

Obsidian (Hydrated Volcanic Glass - SiO2)

Hardness: 5.0 to 5.5 on Mohs scale. Color: Deep black to smoky translucent when held to light. Luster: Vitreous (glassy). Crystal structure: Amorphous (non-crystalline). Cleavage: None, exhibits conchoidal fracture. Specific gravity: 2.35 to 2.6.

Hardness: 5
Color: Deep black to smoky translucent when held to light
Luster: Vitreous (glassy)

Identified March 22, 2026More igneous →

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Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Apache tears are rounded nodules of obsidian that form within cooling beds of perlite. They are created during rapid cooling of silicic lava flows, typically in the Tertiary period. As the rhyolitic lava cools, small cores of obsidian remain even as the surrounding glass hydrates and turns to perlite.

Uses & applications

Used primarily in lapidary work for jewelry making, wire wrapping, and as polished 'pocket stones' for collectors. In historical industry, similar obsidian was used for sharp-edged tools and arrowheads, though these rounded nodules are often kept as decorative specimens.

Geological facts

According to legend, the stones were formed from the tears of family members of Apache warriors who leapt to their deaths from a cliff in Arizona to avoid capture. Geologically, they are unique because unlike typical jagged obsidian, they are naturally rounded by weathering within their perlite matrix.

Field identification & locations

Identify in the field by looking for black, glass-like pebbles within grayish, crumbly perlite outcrops. They are famously found in Superior, Arizona. Collectors often tumble them to achieve a high-gloss finish that reveals their internal translucency.

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