Moldavite
(silicon dioxide + aluminum oxide)
Color: Bottle-green to brownish-green.
Moh’s hardness: 5.5
Refractive index: 1.48-1.5
Critical angle: 42.5°
Specific gravity: 2.32-2.38
Cleavage: None
Fracture: Conchoidal
Dispersion: None
Heat sensitivity: Moderate
Pleochroism: None
Birefringence (double refraction): None
Crystal structure: Amorphous
Cutting: Moldavite is basically glass and
cuts easily.
Polishing: Cerium oxide on most common
polishing laps.
Comments: Moldavite is said to be a tektite, created when a large meteor crashed into the earth with such force
that it propelled material outside of the atmosphere. This material fell back to
the earth in what is now the the Czech Republic. It is common for moldavite to
contain small bubbles.
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