mineral (Tektite/Impactite)
Libyan Desert Glass
Impact-melt silica glass (SiO2 + traces of Al, Fe, Ti)
Hardness: 6.5-7 (Mohs scale); Color: Pale yellow, honey yellow, or greenish-yellow; Luster: Vitreous (glassy); Crystal structure: Amorphous (non-crystalline); Cleavage: Conchoidal fracture; Specific gravity: 2.21
- Hardness
- 6
- Color
- Pale yellow, honey yellow, or greenish-yellow
- Luster
- Vitreous (glassy)
Identified More mineral (tektite/impactite) →
Identify your own rocks.
Get a report just like this from any photo, free.
Physical properties
Hardness: 6.5-7 (Mohs scale); Color: Pale yellow, honey yellow, or greenish-yellow; Luster: Vitreous (glassy); Crystal structure: Amorphous (non-crystalline); Cleavage: Conchoidal fracture; Specific gravity: 2.21
Formation & geological history
Formed approximately 29 million years ago during the Oligocene epoch. It was created by a high-energy meteorite impact or atmospheric airburst over the Great Sand Sea, which flash-melted the local quartz-rich desert sand into natural glass.
Uses & applications
Primarily used in high-end jewelry (cabochons and pendants) and as a prized specimen for meteorite and mineral collectors. Historically used by ancient Egyptians for ritual jewelry and scarabs.
Geological facts
A famous scarab found in King Tutankhamun's burial pectoral was long thought to be chalcedony but was later identified as Libyan Desert Glass. It is one of the rarest natural glasses on Earth, found only in a specific region of the Sahara.
Field identification & locations
Identify in the field by its translucent yellow color, distinct wind-eroded 'regmaglypts' (pitting), and glass-like texture. It is found in the Great Sand Sea of western Egypt near the Libyan border. Collectors should look for 'lechatelierite' (pure silica glass) inclusions which distinguish it from man-made glass.
More like this
Other mineral (tektite/impactite) specimens
Libyan Desert Glass
Impactite (High-silica tektite)
mineral
Moldavite
Moldavite (Siliceous vitreous substance)
tektite (natural glass)
Tektite (Indochinite)
Tektite (impactite), primarily high-silica glass (SiO2)
igneous
Libyan Desert Glass
Impactite silica glass (SiO2)
tektite (impact glass)
Libyan Desert Glass
Tektite (high-silica impact glass), SiO2 + tracing minerals
mineraloid / impactite
Libyan Desert Glass
Impactite (vitreous silica), SiO2
mineral