--------- Original Message ----------- [meteorite-list] Re: TEKTITES!! ..METEORITES OR JUST GLASS ?? Discuss... thornysahuaro [EMAIL PROTECTED] <mailto:thornysahuaro%40yahoo.com> Tue, 24 Sep 2002 21:25:23 -0700 (PDT)
Greetings all, Would any of you please explain the differences between Tektites and Apache Tears. Apache Tears are rounded bits of smokey grey obsidian (volcanic glass) found all over the Southwest US. They have a dull black surface and often have perfect regmaglypts when found. To me this would indicate that they were ejected quite high before they fell. When POLISHED they range from nearly opaque black to a nearly clear light gray color. Some have lines or swirls of darker glass that can be seen if held up to a light. Thanks, Art Brasher ------------------------- Hello Art, You came very close to answering your own question. Your last line describes how an "Apache Tear" looks when "held up to a light". And you made reference to its "gray color". Now, if you hold a tektite up to that same light, you will notice that it is distinctively BROWNISH in color. [With the obvious exception of some Moldavites] Please note that we are describing the color of TRANSMITTED light THROUGH obsidian and tektites. I believe this is the distinguishing characteristic that collectors are looking for, particularly when they are at a show and are trying to decide on a purchase. The quick test is to pull out a pocket flashlight and place the specimen over the light bulb. Tektites will be some shade of brown (even the black opaque ones will still show some brown coloration along their thinnest edges). If there is no shade of brown whatsoever, but instead a gray to purplish-gray, then its obsidian! And that's a fact! And I'm sorry if your Americanite, or Bediasite, or Columbiaite doesn't show any of this brown color, but there has been a lot of Safford Arizona obsidianite look-a-likes [AZites] getting into the Tektite market. I have to thank the late-Darryl Futrell for showing me this quick diagnostic trick. I had taken some suspect "American tektites" to Darryl for his examination. And within seconds, he turned thumbs-down on these specimens. He allowed me to use this technique on all of the various types of tektites in his collection, and every variety would show in transmitted light some shade of brown, gold, or yellowish-green. I have yet to find a variety of obsidian that would transmit any brownish color. They are always gray to purplish-gray in transmitted light. Bob V. __________________________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? New DSL Internet Access from SBC & Yahoo! http://sbc.yahoo.com ______________________________________________ Meteorite-list mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list