mineral
Fulgurite
Lechatelierite
AI-generated identification · may be incorrectHardness of 5.5 to 6 on the Mohs scale, typically brown to black or tan, glassy to dull luster, amorphous crystal structure.
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Physical properties
Hardness of 5.5 to 6 on the Mohs scale, typically brown to black or tan, glassy to dull luster, amorphous crystal structure.
Formation & geological history
Formed when lightning strikes sand or soil, instantly melting and fusing the silica grains together at temperatures exceeding 1,800 degrees Celsius.
Uses & applications
Collected as a scientific and educational curiosity, and occasionally used in jewelry or spiritual practices.
Geological facts
Often called 'fossilized lightning,' fulgurites preserve the exact path of an electrical discharge through the ground.
Field identification & locations
Identified by its hollow, glassy interior tubes and rough, sand-encrusted exterior; commonly found in sandy deserts and beaches worldwide.
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Other mineral specimens
Gneiss or Schist
Gneiss or Mica Schist with Garnet
Metamorphic
Sandstone (with potential mineral staining/concretions)
Arenite (SiO2 based)
sedimentary
Tumbled granite
Granite, a coarse-grained felsic intrusive igneous rock
igneous
Pegmatite with Tourmaline and Quartz
Igneous Pegmatite
igneous
Epidote
Epidote | Ca2(Al2,Fe3+)(SiO4)(Si2O7)O(OH)
metamorphic
Gypsum (variety Selenite or Alabaster)
Calcium sulfate dihydrate (CaSO4·2H2O)
Mineral