Home | About Me | Jewelry Designs | Gemstones | Mineral Specimens | Orders | FAQs | Contact | Links

Shown here is a nice assortment of loose Apache Tears. As obsidian (volcanic glass) flows become fractured and hydrated over eons of time, the original glass is altered to a white, flaky, mineral called perlite. Perlite has a varitey of commercial uses one of which is as a soil ammendment. The specimens above, from Superior, Arizona, show Apache Tears that have weathered free from the perlite matrix. The nodules from Superior can vary from pea to baseball size. Many display good clarity when held up to bright sunlight. Although obsidian nodules can be found in many Western U.S. localities, the term Apache Tear should be attached only to those glassy obsidian nodules found beneath the cliffs of Apache Leap Mountain in Arizona. This is the site where Apache warriors lept to their death rather than surrender to pursuing calvary soldiers. The legend states that tears of the mourning Apache women and families fell to the ground and solidified forming Apache Tears.

(Parcel #m330 is priced at $6.00 Sold).