Polished: Tektite

Tektites

Tektites are a type of meteoric glass. Being natural glass (SiO₂) they are amorphic rather than crystalline and have a hardness of 5 on the Mohs Scale. Forming due to the impact of meteors, tektites are given different names depending on where they fall to earth. The term Tektite usually refers to specimens from the Philippines, and they are usually black in colour. Tektites are relatively common compared to other types of meteoric glass e.g.  Green Moldavite (from Molvania, Czechoslovakia) or Yellow Libyan Desert Glass.