W010 / Oregon
Glass Buttes obsidian
Obsidian; volcanic glass
Begin with the glassy surface, then compare banding, inclusions and reflected effects. The district contains more than one visually distinct type.
← Western Lapidary Materials
USDA Forest Service · Public domain — US federal work, US · No changes
Source-labelled comparison, not independently authenticated deposit
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What it is
Obsidian; volcanic glass
What to look for
Begin with the glassy surface, then compare banding, inclusions and reflected effects. The district contains more than one visually distinct type.
At the cutting bench
Inspect the actual piece for fractures, voids and cutting orientation. Deposit-specific yield and polish data are UNKNOWN.
Under the loupe
A black or rainbow glass specimen cannot be assigned to Glass Buttes by appearance alone.
Source & collecting access
Keep this locality separate from protected sites such as Newberry National Volcanic Monument. Current parcel and collecting rules still require verification.
Status checked 2026-10-01The market notebook
UNKNOWN — no verified completed-sales sample sufficient for a range
Market researched 2026-10-01Open the field notes
Color comparison tags
Black, Brown/Tan, Multicolor
Geology & evidence limits
DOGAMI identifies Glass Buttes as an Oregon obsidian locality. A federal reference montage documents several collector-used appearance labels.
Collecting & trade history
Keep this locality separate from protected sites such as Newberry National Volcanic Monument. Current parcel and collecting rules still require verification.
Reading old-stock material
Preserve the estate label, wrapping, purchase record and associated pieces. Old-stock status alone does not authenticate origin or imply a premium.
What we know—and what we don’t
Visual resemblance is a comparison clue, not proof of material identity, locality or documented provenance. Keep source labels and estate records separate from your visual assessment.
C&C Reference Collection
Reference examples are source-labelled and do not authenticate the locality of an unlabelled specimen.
Sources & Further Reading
- DOGAMI: Fossils, minerals and gems
State geological overview; site-specific collecting conditions differ
Cut and polish with appropriate wet methods and silica-dust controls. Historic directions and mine names are not current permission to collect.