Libyan Desert Glass For Sale

Libyan desert glass is a type of tektite/impactite, a yellowish natural glass mineral that forms when silica is exposed to extreme heat and pressure. Libyan desert glass may have formed when a meteor shower imapcted the Sahara Desert nearly 29 million years ago. For many years scientists have believed that the mineral was the result of an extremely large air-blast, roughly 100 megatons, caused by an explosion in space near Earth’s atmosphere. After extensive analysis, scientists discovered that Libyan desert glass was indeed created by meteor impacts.

The primary component of this glass is lechatelierite, a molten silica glass similar to quartz but lacking a crystal structure. This desert glass can be different shades of green, tan, and brown depending on the inclusions present when the glass formed. Tektite formation typically occurs after meteoric activity, when material is superheated and thrown into the atmosphere by the impact and rapidly cools. It has many characteristics similar to sea glass, though this mineral happens to have cosmic origins. Collectors enjoy the extraterrestrial nature of this tektite's formation and the striking translucent colors of this glassy material.

About Libyan Desert Glass

10 Items ($29 to $795)

Libyan Desert Glass ( g) - Meteorite Impactite #222320

2.8" Libyan Desert Glass (194 g) - Meteorite Impactite

$795 $636

Libyan Desert Glass ( g) - Meteorite Impactite #274480

2.75" Libyan Desert Glass (98.2 g) - Meteorite Impactite

$495 $396

Libyan Desert Glass ( g) - Meteorite Impactite #222319

3.2" Libyan Desert Glass (133 g) - Meteorite Impactite

$395 $335

Libyan Desert Glass ( g) - Meteorite Impactite #239051

2.7" Libyan Desert Glass (67.1 g) - Meteorite Impactite

$339 $271

Libyan Desert Glass ( g) - Meteorite Impactite #239055

2.3" Libyan Desert Glass (55.5 g) - Meteorite Impactite

$279 $223

Libyan Desert Glass ( g) - Meteorite Impactite #274475

1.95" Libyan Desert Glass (32.8 g) - Meteorite Impactite

$165 $132

Libyan Desert Glass ( g) - Meteorite Impactite #258488

1.8" Libyan Desert Glass (26.7 g) - Meteorite Impactite

$79 $67

Libyan Desert Glass Pendant ( g) - Impactite #303193

.9" Libyan Desert Glass Pendant (3.3 g) - Impactite

$39 $35

Libyan Desert Glass Pendant ( g) - Impactite #303189

.9" Libyan Desert Glass Pendant (3.3 g) - Impactite

$39 $35

Libyan Desert Glass Pendant ( g) - Impactite #303178

.7" Libyan Desert Glass Pendant (2.2 g) - Impactite

$29 $25

Impact Or Airblast: The Origins Of An Impactite

Libyan desert glass is believed to have origins involving a meteor shower in the Sahara Desert nearly 29 million years ago. For many years scientists believed that the minerals were created by an extremely large airblast, roughly 100 megatons, caused by an explosion in space near Earth’s atmosphere. After extensive analysis, scientists discovered that Libyan Desert glass is indeed created by meteor impacts. While geologists have yet to uncover an impact crater, evidence of impact was discovered via good, old-fashioned chemistry. Libyan desert glass has a very high zircon content, and zircon transforms into a different mineral, reidite, when under extreme temperature and pressure such as is common in a meteor impact. Reidite forms at the moment of impact, but is very unstable and will revert back to zircon when it reaches too high of a temperature. However, when reidite forms it creates a directional shift in its structure different from zircon. This shift leaves traces of the change, and when zircon is tested with a method called backscatter diffraction, evidence of reidite becomes apparent. The temperature required to initiate this transformation from zircon to reidite and back to zircon could only be achieved by a meteorite impact, and not the pressure wave of an airblast.

Libyan Desert Glass Through History

In the Pleistocene, Libyan desert glass was knapped and carved into weapons and tools used by the ancient inhabitants of western Egypt. This mineral was also popular for jewelry making in ancient Egypt. A pectoral (large brooch) on King Tut’s sarcophagus featured a scarab beetle carved from Libyan Desert glass. The nature of this jewelry had perplexed archaeologists for a decade or so, until Libyan Desert glass was officially discovered in 1932.

Where Is Libyan Desert Glass Found?

Libyan desert glass is found only within a 6500-kilometer radius between Libya and western Egypt. There are other varieties of tektite from around the world, but none have the same interesting colors and texture of Libyan desert glass.

Is Libyan Desert Glass A Tektite?

It has been well established that Libyan desert glass is formed as a result of an ancient meteorite impact, but should it be classified as an impactite, a tektite or both?

Higher classification of anything can get messy. A natural glass as mysterious as Libyan desert glass is no exception. The two categories that most appropriately encompass Libyan desert glass are impactite and tektite. The distinction between these two rocks rides a very fine line, though the difference is important. A tektite is actually a type of impactite and in more casual circles, the two terms have become interchangeable despite their differences.

An impactite is any object that is formed by the impact of an extraterrestrial object on terrestrial material. Most often these objects appear as glass and breccia that formed from the insane amount of heat released upon impact. Here’s where things get a bit overly-specific: tektites are the result of smaller impacts from pieces of meteorites that broke off during atmospheric entry or as a result of impact. Little is known about the exact meteorite collision that formed Libyan desert glass, though it is assumed to be absolutely titanic in size, considering the material's distribution and abundance. It’s not asking too much to assume that there were additional smaller impacts, or splash impacts from the initial collision. Both materials exhibit very similar properties and qualities, so it would not be much of a stretch to say that Libyan desert glass is both an impactite and a tektite.