Tektite Crystals Meanings and Properties

Alternative Names: Many, often related to their source eg. Darwin Glass, Libyan Glass, Irghizite, Moldavite etc.

Mineral Information

Origin: Worldwide

Mineral Species: N/A - Tektite

Chemical Formula: SiO₂

Crystal System: N/A

Colour: Usually dark greens and browns, to black.

Typical Appearance: Tektite is a glassy material formed as a result of massive meteorite impact with the Earth. There are several theories regarding the type of meteorite and impact, ranging from a meteorite that burns up in the Earth’s atmosphere leaving only a gaseous fireball, to a meteorite that explodes in the atmosphere prior to impact, or explodes upon impact. In any case, the meteorite almost entirely vapourises, so there is none of the original material left. The impact must have been on sand or silica-rich rock, which melted to create the glassy substance. There is no evidence of cosmic ray exposure, and its composition is similar to many terrestrial rocks, demonstrating that the material itself does not have an extraterrestrial origin. This is contrary to many descriptions which claim that tektite is an amalgam of earth and extraterrestrial material. Apart from silica, the composition of tektites varies according to the nature of the rock or sand at the impact site.

Tektites display a wide variety of sizes, shapes, and surface features, such as splash forms that include spheres, teardrops, dumbbells, and discs, 'buttons', and Muong Nong types that have a layered structure and are found primarily in Southeast Asia. The meteoritic source has been determined for three major fields of scattered tektites (bediasite and georgiaite in North America, moldavite in Central Europe, and ivorite in West Africa). For Australian and Asian tektites (indochinite, australite, zhamanshinite, irghizite, and others), the occurrence in meteoritic craters has only been inferred. Tektites are assigned to strewnfields, which are the areas over which chemically and physically related tektites are found. Some have been found over 100,000 km from their impact sites.

Esoteric Information

Birthstone: Depends on variety

Chakra Alignment: Depends on variety

Element: Depends on variety

Origin of Name & Mythology: The name tektite was first used in 1900 by Franz Eduard Suess (1876 – 1941, emeritus professor of geology at the University of Vienna), from the Greek τήκτος tektos meaning ‘molten’. The first reference in scientific literature appeared in 1788, when Mayer described them as a type of terrestrial volcanic glass. Tektites were knapped into tools by Neolithic peoples on virtually every continent where they are found, and also have a similarly long history of use as amulets. Tools date back to 4-6,000 BC.

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