description Tektite Overview
A tektite is a natural glass formed when a large meteorite impact melts and ejects material from Earth's surface. The molten material cools while traveling through the atmosphere and produces dark, often aerodynamic glass fragments that can be found far from the impact site. Tektites occur in geographically defined strewn fields on several continents. Moldavite, usually green and found mainly in the Czech Republic, is one of the best-known gem and collector varieties.
help Tektite FAQ
What is the difference between a tektite and obsidian?
Obsidian is volcanic glass that cools from lava, while a tektite is natural glass created when a large meteorite impact melts and ejects Earth's surface material. Tektites are also notably dry compared with volcanic glasses, a key laboratory distinction.
Where do moldavites come from?
Moldavites are tektites found mainly in the Czech Republic, formed about 15 million years ago by the impact that created the Ries crater in Bavaria, Germany. The material was thrown hundreds of kilometers from the impact site.
How old are tektites?
Ages vary by strewn field: the Australasian field, the largest, is roughly 800,000 years old and spans from Australia across Southeast Asia, while moldavites date to about 15 million years. North American tektites like the bediasites of Texas are far older still, tied to the Chesapeake Bay impact around 35 million years ago.
Are tektites valuable to collectors?
Moldavite is the most sought-after tektite on the gem market, and prices reportedly rose sharply after extraction restrictions in the Czech Republic in recent years. Common indochinites and australites from the large Australasian field are far more affordable.
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