Tektite Gemstone & Information | Gemopedia by JTV | Gemopedia™

Tektite

Tektites are very unique in that they form when a meteorite melts the earth that it comes in contact with. Often, this is in the form of molten rock and sand turned molten from the heat of impact, and may be tossed into the air, raining down as a natural glass. Tektites are named from their locations, i.e. moldavite is from the Moldau river area of the Czech Republic. Common colors of this natural glass are yellow, green, gray to black, and colorless.

Colors

Green, Olive Green, Light Yellow To Yellowish Green, Black, Dark Brown, Colorless

  • Tektite classification

    CommonName
    Tektite
    Species
    Tektite
    Variety
    Colors
    Green, Olive Green, Light Yellow To Yellowish Green, Black, Dark Brown, Colorless
    AlternateNames
    GemstoneGroups
    KeySeparations
    refractive index, SR nature, magnification, and specific gravity
    ClassificationComments
    Tektite is a general term used for natural glasses formed by meteoric impacts. Australite: dark or black disc, bowl or button-shaped Tektites from Southern Australia and Tasmania. Bikolite: Tektites from the Bikol area of the Philippines. They occur as spheres with a breadcrust crack appearance and grooved curved polygonal flakes. Billitonite are from the Billiton Island between Sumatra and Borneo. The acidic waters of the area make Billitonite more etched than other varieties of tektites. Darwin glass: natural glass from just south of Queenstown, Tasmania it is thought it comes from the Darwin crater impact site. Moldavite green variety of tektites from the Czech Republic. Libyan desert glass: light yellow to greenish yellow from the White Desert in Egypt. Indochinite: dark mostly black and found in Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand and southern China

  • Tektite chemistry & crystallography

    ChemicalName
    silica
    ChemicalFormula
    SiO2 (75% silica+Al, Ca, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, Ti)
    Synthesis
    CrystalSystem
    NA
    ChemistryClassification
    Mineraloid
    Nature
    Natural
    Crystallinity
    Amorphous
    ChemistryComments

  • Tektite optical properties

    Transparency
    Translucent - Opaque
    Dispersion
    OpticalComments
    RefractiveIndex
    1.49-1.52
    Birefringence
    OpticCharacter
    NA
    OpticSign
    NA
    PolariscopeReaction
    Singly Refractive (SR) With ADR
    Fluorescence
    SWUV: Inert
    LWUV: Inert
    CCFReaction
    Pleochroism
    None

  • Tektite characteristic physical properties

    Hardness
    5.5-6.5
    CharacteristicComments
    Streak
    SpecificGravity
    2.34-2.51
    Toughness
    Poor
    Inclusions
    Tektites often have round and elongated gas bubbles, flow lines and a roiled, cloudy or turbid appearance.
    Luster
    Vitreous
    Stability
    Fracture
    Conchoidal
    Cleavage
    None