Superb Quality - Natural Meteorite Impact - Libyan Glass...

Libyan Desert Glass is a type of tektite/impactite, a natural yellowish glass mineral that forms when silica is exposed to extreme heat and pressure. Libyan Desert Glass may have formed when a rain of meteorites impacted the Sahara Desert about 29 million years ago. For many years, scientists believed the mineral was the result of a very powerful airburst, of about 100 megatons, caused by an explosion in space near the Earth's atmosphere. After extensive analysis, scientists discovered that Libyan Desert Glass was indeed created by meteorite impacts. The main component of this glass is lechatelierite, a fused silica glass similar to quartz but lacking a crystalline structure. This desert glass can display various shades of green, beige, and brown, depending on the inclusions present during its formation. The formation of tektites typically occurs after meteoritic activity, when the material is overheated and ejected into the atmosphere by the impact, then rapidly cooled. It shares many characteristics with marine glass, though this mineral has cosmic origins. Collectors appreciate the extraterrestrial origin of the formation of this tektite and the striking translucent colors of this glassy material.

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