meteorite

Libyan Desert Glass

Libyan Desert Glass (Impactite)

Hardness: 6.5-7 (Mohs scale); Color: Pale yellow to light greenish-yellow; Luster: Vitreous; Crystal structure: Amorphous (glassy); Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); Specific gravity: 2.21. Notable for its high silica content (approx. 98%).

Hardness: 6
Color: Pale yellow to light greenish-yellow
Luster: Vitreous

Identified July 3, 2026More meteorite →

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Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Formed roughly 26 to 29 million years ago in the Great Sand Sea of the eastern Sahara. Resulted from the intense heat and pressure of a meteorite impact or airburst that melted the local quartz-rich sand into glass.

Uses & applications

Used for jewelry, metaphysical collecting, and scientific research. Historically used by ancient Egyptians for amulets and ornaments (most famously in King Tutankhamun's pectoral).

Geological facts

The scarab center on King Tut's pectoral is actually carved from Libyan Desert Glass. It is considered the purest natural silica glass on Earth.

Field identification & locations

Identified by its pale yellow color, distinct conchoidal (shell-like) fracturing, and internal features like flow lines or tiny bubbles. It is found primarily in the Libyan Desert scattered across sand sheets between dunes.

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Shatter Cone

Impactite (Shatter Cone texture)

metamorphic

Iron Meteorite

Siderite (comprised primarily of Kamacite and Taenite alloys)

igneous

Pallasite Meteorite

Pallasite (Stony-iron meteorite; Fe-Ni alloy with (Mg,Fe)2SiO4 olivine)

Mineral/Extraterrestrial Rock

Slag (Anthropogenic Glass/Iron byproduct)

Ferro-silicate Slag

Anthropogenic (Man-made)

Chondrite Meteorite

Stony Meteorite (Chondrite)

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