When we talk about natural stones we generally think of marble and granite . However, onyx also stands out among natural stones , a very particular material due to its specific characteristics.
We therefore thought we would dedicate an article to onyx, to understand what type of stone it is, what its characteristics are and for which uses it is preferred.

The characteristics of onyx

Onyx owes its name, in Greek onyks, to the resemblance to nails, but the Latins renamed it marmor alabastrum , a name that derives from a fortress known as "Alabastra" built in Thebes, an area in which there were numerous quarries for the construction of temples.
The term onyx indicates two very different families of rocks: siliceous onyx, generally black with white streaks, and calcareous onyx .
Onyx is a very precious and at the same time very delicate material, comparable to glass. Its main feature is the fact that it is translucent and therefore backlit .
From a mineralogical point of view it is classified as a variety of chalcedony, i.e. quartz in compact microcrystalline masses, of a uniform opaque or semi-opaque shade. Generally onyx is mined in India, Mexico, Iran, Turkey, Brazil, Uruguay and Madagascar.