Type: Tektite (Impact Glass)
Specific: Darwin Glass, aka Tasmanite, or Tasmanian Black Glass

Dimensions: contact me
Weight: contact me

A tektite named for Mount Darwin, and the probable impact site of the Darwin Crater.
Contains chromium, nickel, and cobalt.

It’s estimated that Darwin Glass is around 816,000 years old, and occurred from a large meteorite impact in what we now know as the Darwin Crater. It’s estimated that 25,000 tons of Darwin Glass occurred in a 50 square km area in Tasmania—this is an unusually large amount of glass occurring relative to the size of the crater site.

Darwin Glass was used by the indigineous Palawa, the aboriginal people of Tasmania, to craft tools and blades.

Organic compounds such as cellulose and polymers trapped in this type of tektite were studied in 2013, and found to preserve remnants of plant life. It is one type of tektite thought to support the theory of panspermia (life being spread from other planets or solar systems as a result of impacts.)

*Though many gems and minerals have historical and cultural associations with healing properties, these items are sold for display, study, and collector interest only.

Check out more crystals and specimens in my Etsy shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/PhenomenalGems?ref=si_shop