meteorite
Moldavite
Tektite (Silicates with aluminum, iron, manganese, and potassium oxide glass)
Hardness: 5.5-6.5 Mohs. Color: Olive green, forest green, brownish green. Luster: Vitreous (glassy). Structure: Amorphous (non-crystalline glass). Fracture: Conchoidal. Specific gravity: 2.3 - 2.4.
- Hardness
- 5
- Color
- Olive green, forest green, brownish green
- Luster
- Vitreous (glassy)
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Physical properties
Hardness: 5.5-6.5 Mohs. Color: Olive green, forest green, brownish green. Luster: Vitreous (glassy). Structure: Amorphous (non-crystalline glass). Fracture: Conchoidal. Specific gravity: 2.3 - 2.4.
Formation & geological history
Formed approximately 15 million years ago during a meteorite impact in southern Germany (Nördlinger Ries crater). High temperatures and pressures melted the surrounding terrestrial rock and ejected glassy material hundreds of kilometers away into present-day Czech Republic.
Uses & applications
Highly sought after by gemstone collectors, mineral enthusiasts, and metaphysical practitioners. Used in jewelry such as rings, pendants, and wire-wrapped ornaments.
Geological facts
Moldavite is a natural glass created by an extraterrestrial impact event. Its total supply on Earth is finite and diminishing as deposits in Bohemia and Moravia are depleted, making it increasingly rare and valuable.
Field identification & locations
Look for bottle-green color with characteristic wrinkled, pitted, or deeply carved surface textures (sculpting). Microscopic analysis often reveals round or elongated gas bubbles (lechatelierite inclusions). Mostly found in the Czech Republic.
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