tektite (natural glass)
Moldavite
Moldavite (Siliceous vitreous substance)
Hardness: 5.5–7 (Mohs scale); Color: Olive green, forest green, to greenish-brown; Luster: Vitreous (glassy); Crystal structure: Amorphous (non-crystalline glass); Specific Gravity: 2.27–2.40.
- Hardness
- 5
- Color
- Olive green, forest green, to greenish-brown
- Luster
- Vitreous (glassy)
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Physical properties
Hardness: 5.5–7 (Mohs scale); Color: Olive green, forest green, to greenish-brown; Luster: Vitreous (glassy); Crystal structure: Amorphous (non-crystalline glass); Specific Gravity: 2.27–2.40.
Formation & geological history
Formed approximately 14.7 million years ago during a meteorite impact in what is now southern Germany (Ries crater). The impact melted terrestrial rock and ejected it into the atmosphere, where it cooled and fell as glass droplets in the Czech Republic.
Uses & applications
Primarily used as a gemstone in jewelry (rings, pendants) and highly valued by mineral collectors and the metaphysical community.
Geological facts
Moldavite is an 'impactite' or tektite, making it one of the only gemstones with an extra-terrestrial origin story. It is famous for its unique aerodynamic shapes and distinctive 'sculpted' surface textures.
Field identification & locations
Identify in the field by its distinct bottle-green color and 'lechatelierite' inclusions (tiny elongated bubbles/wires of fused silica). It is almost exclusively found in the Bohemian plateau and Moravia in the Czech Republic.
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