Let's learn about Impactites and Tektites from their geological facts to their metaphysical properties. They are both formed with the help of meteorites, but what makes them different? What makes them the same?
Both fascinating stone categories combine the energy of earth and space to bring you healing that is out-of-this-world. Discover a power beyond your imagination when you work with fascinating Tektites and bold Impactites.
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Watch the Impactite & Tektite Video
If you prefer vibrant voice and visuals, click on our Youtube video for an overview of Impactites & Tektites.
While you are there, watch the entire A-Z Satin Crystals Meanings video series. We answer your questions on all of the most popular crystals. You can also post your questions and stories directly to the Youtube comments.
Can you benefit from Impactites and Tektites?
If you can answer yes to at least one of these statements, Impactites and Tektites can enhance your life:
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You are seeking a stone with high vibrations
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You love to fly high in your meditation and astral travels
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You love owning a rare piece of history
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You want to channel alien civilizations
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You wish to help heal the planet
- You seek a cosmic, once-in-a-lifetime gift
What is the difference between Tektite and Impactites?
Impactites are rocks created by or morphed by the impact of a meteorite hitting the earth's surface. Depending on the size of the meteorite as it descends from the earth's atmosphere, the crash could result in a small indentation, a large crater, or a massive astrobleme. An astrobleme can be over a hundred miles across. It deforms the rocks, sand, and surrounding minerals at the point of impact.
Tektites are a type of Impactite. They form when the heat and pressure from the meteorite splashes the earth's surface materials into the air, melts it, liquefies it, and solidifies it into glass. These are the Impactites that were ejected from the crater during impact.
Tektites are natural glass found on Earth, but will sometimes contain tiny inclusions of the original meteorite's minerals. They form when there is a high silica content in the area of impact.
What are the metaphysical properties of Tektites and Impactites?
Tektites and Impactites are popular for metaphysical work because of their connection with earth and space energy. Whether you want to astral travel and connect with alien civilizations or you want to focus your energy on healing the earth, these powerful stones will be your aid.
Many healers use Tektites and Impactites for transforming their lives for the positive. These stones hold the vast knowledge of the Universe and give you the strength to pursue the change you need in your life.
Like a shock to the status quo, the power of Tektites and Impactites can be overwhelming for some. Make sure you are ready to deal with emotional baggage and confront bad habits before working with these stones.
How do you use Tektites and Impactites in healing?
Here are a few ideas to get you started in using your Tektites and Impactites in your metaphysical healing practice:
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Hold Black Tektites in each hand to bridge your earthly self with the Great Beyond and manifest what you desire.
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Place Tektites and Impactites in your garden, potted plants, or grid the corners of your home to send healing energy into the earth.
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Display your unique specimens in cases and have a constant reminder of the vast universe.
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Use Moldavite to open your Heart chakra to cosmic love and life transformations.
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Place Tektites and Impactites on your Third Eye chakra to open your intuition.
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Lie in a grid of your favorite Tektites and feel as though you were floating through space.
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Use Libyan Desert Glass to harness the yang energy of the sun and balance your Solar Plexus chakra.
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Meditate with your Tektites and Impactites to open your mind beyond your physical reality.
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Add Tektites and Impactites to your dream collection near your bedside for alien dreams.
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Hold Tektites and Impactites when mentally manifesting, place them on top of a manifestation journal, or wear them to keep the affirmations fresh in your mind throughout the day.
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Wear Tektite and Impactite jewelry for unique style and high vibrations.
Lisa's personal experience with Tektites
I absolutely love Tektites, Impactites, and Meteorites. I am the one that selects each piece for the Satin Crystals boutique. I was first introduced to Moldavite when we had our San Francisco store but I didn't work with them intensely until I moved to Hungary and met the Meteor Man. He had many fascinating, genuine space stones and told us the story behind each one.
At that point, I started offering these special cosmic crystals in our shop. It was well before Moldavite became popular and skyrocketed. But really, it's not just about the famous Moldavite. Black Tektite and Libyan Desert Glass are awesome on their own.
What I like about Black Tektite is that you can get big juicy pieces and hold them in energy work and meditations. As Moldavite and Libyan Glass generally tend to be smaller (though I've seen some fabulous larger ones), I prefer to wear them in jewelry form.
When I want to astral travel, chat with aliens, or explore the great unknown from the sanctity of my mind, I turn to Tektites. As they boast a meteoric origin story, they connect me to the space realm better than any earth crystal can do. They are a little different than Meteorites, with attractive, glassy surfaces and interesting forms.
I think of Moldavite, Libyan Desert Glass, and Black Tektite as two sisters and a brother. Moldavite is the famous darling green beauty from the Czech, with master manifestation powers. Libyan Desert Glass is the exotic sister from Egypt and Libya, rare yellow and full of sun-sand-star energy. Their bother, Black Tektite, is the protective guardian of the galaxy. He can be found in several localities around the world.
Impactites are related yet have unique characteristics of their own. I have had the pleasure of working with Nordlinger Reis Crater from Germany, which was created at the same time and meteor impact as Moldavite. It has a historic energy that is more grounded than the Tektites. I obtained some amazing Ilyinets Crater spheres from Ukraine, which are now harder to get than ever. And very recently have added Zhamanshin Crater to our collection too. I feel they have a more grounding presence than traditional Meteorites or Tektites, and yet bring you the best of the stars too.
All in all, the story of Tektites and Impactites is an interesting, fun, and metaphysically important one that you just can't miss.
Sheila's personal experience with Tektites
I knew nothing about the world of Impactites until Lisa introduced me to them. We were lucky enough to provide real Moldavites to the masses when the trend spiked online. This is when I came to do in-depth research on Moldavite and Libyan Desert Glass. You can watch our videos and read our many articles on the subject!
Non-Tektite Impactites are little known. I didn't even know they were a category until we started our campaign. I am now enlightened about the differences and similarities of Tektites and Impactites and I am happy to provide you with the knowledge here, too!
Now that I know about Impactites, I will start to work with Nordlinger Ries Crater rocks, the source stone of the Moldavite crater. Have you worked with this Impactite? What difference in energies did you feel between Nordlinger and Moldavite? We would love to hear about your experiences with either or both!
How do you clean your Tektites and Impactites?
Physically, you can clean your glassy Tektites under water and air dry. If it's just a little dust you want to remove, wipe it with a cloth. If you are using anything harsher than simple running water, beware that you could scratch or break the stone.
You will want to be more careful with your Impactites as they may be more flakey and fragile. When unsure, keep them out of the water.
Because they resulted from extraterrestrial origins, Tektites and Impactites energize well in starlight. They can be charged at night on the windowsill or in the garden during the Full Moon.
To learn more about metaphysical crystal cleansing and charging, watch the video at Crystal Care.
How are Impactites and Tektites formed?
Impactites are formed when a meteorite hits the earth. The intense heat and pressure of the impact caused the earth and meteorite materials to warp and turn into a new rock or fuse and solidify in the air and turn into a new Tektite glass.
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The meteorite hits the earth's surface.
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The materials around the impact are deformed and create Impactites.
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Some of the material vaporizes from the heat, condenses into molten liquid, solidifies, and falls back onto the earth as glassy Tektite with trapped gas bubbles.
Each natural Impactite piece shaped itself during impact. They consist mostly of the original earth material but can have small fragments of the meteorite's minerals encased within.
Tektites are impact glasses that shape themselves during the solidification process. The worm-like inclusions within the Tektites are the result of the descent. They may have tiny particles of the original meteorite within.
Most meteorites have decomposed over time because of their high Iron content. They leave behind Impactites and Tektites for humans to enjoy.
How do you identify real versus fake Tektite?
Besides testing in a certified gemological laboratory or buying straight from a trusted source, here are some tips on how to tell if your Tektite is real and not fake:
1. Real Tektites are always black, brown, yellow, or green: The tones in these colors may vary, but if you have any other color stone than the four mentioned, you have a fake Tektite. If you see a gray in your Black Tektite, this is a good sign that it could be Obsidian.
2. Real Tektites have unpredictable textures: Tektites can be smooth, cratered, wavy, lumpy, or a combination of textures. However, these textures shouldn't be uniform all around the specimen. If it's too "perfectly textured", it needs to be in a museum or has a high chance of being phony. Real Tektites also do not contain grains or crystals.
3. Real Tektite is asymmetrical: Tektites can be semi-circular, semi-spherical, semi-cylindrical, wand-like, club-like, or randomly shaped. If you spot a specimen that is just a tad too "perfectly symmetrical", be wary of its authenticity unless you are admiring it in a museum.
4. Real Tektite has monetary value: This isn't quite a visual inspection, but insight into the price tag you are looking at. If the price is too good to be true, guess what?! It's probably too cheap to be real.
5. Real Tektite has air bubbles: Like all glasses, air bubbles may be trapped within Tektites. If you look under magnification, you may see air bubbles. This will not rule out man-made glass but may rule out plastics and other synthetics. This is best applied to translucent Tektites rather than black versions.
6. Real Tektite is not magnetic: If you have a stone that is attracted to a magnet or looks metallic, you can rule it out. Real Tektites are natural glass and do not have magnetic minerals. If your black glassy stone is attracting a magnet, it may be Obsidian with Magnetite inclusions.
7. Real Tektite looks like glass: It should not look metallic, grainy, or have any crystal inclusions. Manmade glass may contain metals and crystal inclusions which is a giveaway that it is not a Real Tektite.
8. Real Tektites have a white or no streak: Regardless of its external color, when striking the Tektite on a streak plate (or unglazed white ceramic tile), there should only be a white powder. Any other color will indicate that it is not a Real Tektite.
9. Real Tektites are irregularly sculpted: Because they are flung in the air on formation, the grooves, pits, and patterns of Tektites are seen on one side of the stone rather than evenly over the whole stone.
10. Real Tektite is not metallic: Real Tektite does not have a metallic shine like Galena, Pyrite, or Hematite. It may have a glassy shine, but won't look like metal.
11. Real Tektite has worm-like inclusions: When seen under a strong microscope up to 10x magnification, you should see wavy inclusions. These are lechatelierite inclusions, which are the result of sand particles that melted during the stone's formation. But, unlike Quartz, which is a Silicon Dioxide formed slowly with high temperature, lechatelierite forms by instantaneous events like meteorites and lightning strikes.
Read more in Is Your Moldavite Real?
Do Tektites have bubbles?
Tektites may have gas bubbles that were trapped within their structure during the formation of the stones.
How can you tell Tektite from Slag Glass?
Slag Glass is often mistaken for Tektites because of its glassy surface. Slag Glass is a manmade remnant of pressed opaque glass leftover from metal smelting, fires, and industrial applications.
Some Slag Glass is magnetic because of its iron inclusions. You may also see layers, streaks, and large air bubbles visible to the naked eye not seen in Real Tektites.
Is Black Obsidian a Tektite?
Black Obsidian is not a Tektite. Black Obsidian is formed from volcanic activity on earth whereas Tektites are formed from meteorite impacts from space to earth. They look similar when both are glassy black. The two have the same Mohs Scale of Hardness, can both have air bubbles, and produce the same white color streak.
What is the difference between Tektite and Obsidian?
Here are some differences between Tektite and Obsidian. Obsidian may contain the following, but Tektite will not:
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Obsidian often has layers and iridescent mineral sheen
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Obsidian may also show a gray or lavender hue in the light
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Obsidian may have weathered veining
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Obsidian may be attracted to a magnet if it has magnetic inclusions
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Obsidian will have water content that will be emitted with high heat (Here is a destructive test to tell Obsidian vs Tektite with a blowtorch)
Most Tektites do not have any of these features.
Black Muong Nong Tektites and Impactites are more likely to be confused with Obsidian because of their chunky appearance, layered texture, and bubbly inclusions.
Obsidian is sometimes passed off as a Tektite by unknowing or deceitful vendors. Look out for the following names. They are NOT Real Tektites:
- Agni Manitite, aka Pearl of Fire, from Indonesia
- Colombianites from Columbia
- Arizonaites, Saffordites, Cintamani Stones from Arizona
- Healdburgites or Healdburg Tektite from California
These are all Obsidians, not Tektites.
How are Tektites named?
Tektites are usually named after the geological locations they are found.
Where are Impactites and Tektites found?
Impactites and Tektites are found worldwide, depending on where meteorites hit the earth. They could be in the desert, the ocean, in the mountains, or any surface where the impact occurred.
Here are a few locations you can find popular Tektites and Impactites:
Black Tektites are the most abundant Tektite, found in a strewnfield stretching over China, Thailand, and Cambodia.
Libyan Desert Glass is a yellow Tektite found in the Sahara Desert in Libya and Egypt.
Moldavites are the most popular Tektites found in the Czech Republic area having blasted out from the Nordlinger Ries Crater in Altenburg, Germany where Nordlinger Impactites are found.
Ilyinets Impactites are from the Ilyinets Crater in Ukraine.
Bediasites and Georgialites are from the Chesapeake Bay crater in the USA.
Alamo Breccia is found in Nevada as the seas raised and eroded since its impact 370 million years ago.
Zhamanshin Impactites are from the Zhamanshin Impact Crater in Kazakhstan
Some Impactites found today have no associated craters. They may have been weathered or buried long ago. Indochinites, Chinites, and Australites do not have a source crater.
What is a strewn field?
A strewn field is the encompassing area where Tektites were flung after their original meteorite impact. Although the meteorite created a single crater, the Tektites that resulted from the crash could be strewn miles away.
What are the different types of Impactites?
The different types of Impactites are Impact Breccia, Tektites, and Shatter Cones.
What are Shatter Cones?
Shatter Cones form under the earth's surface of the meteorite impact. The shock waves of the impact shatter the rocks beneath to form cone-shaped radiations.
What is an Impact Breccia?
Your Impactite may have breccia formation. This means that there are many different rocks and materials naturally cemented together to form one rock.
When the meteorite impacted the earth, it could have thrown together material from different areas and time periods and fused them to form a breccia Impactite.
What type of rock is Impactite?
Impactites are metamorphic rocks because their original materials are morphed by the meteorite impact. They transform into a new material after the crash.
Are Tektites and Impactites rare?
Tektites and Impactites are rare in that they are each formed from a unique meteoric event. Whereas crystals may keep generating with the right conditions found here on the earth, meteorites are not commonly falling to create impact craters.
Depending on the size of the meteorite impact, some Tektites and Impactites are much more rare than others. Moldavites are much more rare than Black Tektites.
What are the mineraloid facts of Tektites?
Tektites are known as mineraloids rather than minerals. Tektites form so quickly in the air after the meteorite impact that they don't have time to organize into a mineral. A mineraloid is an inorganic solid that doesn't have a crystalline structure. Because it is not crystalline, Tektites never formed crystals.
Mohs Scale of Hardness: 5-7
Surface Color: Green, Brown, Black, Yellow
Streak Color (can vary from surface color, this is the color of the crystals’ powdered minerals): White
Cleavage (where the crystal breaks off naturally to form a new face, parallel to its structure. This is a clean break and can cleave over and over again along the same face, retaining the crystals structure): None
Fracture: Conchoidal (clam-like, the way glass breaks)
Luster: Vitreous (glass-like) to Dull
Tenacity: Brittle (little resistance to breakage)
Transparency: Transparent to Opaque
Habit: Amorphous
Density: 2.21-3.4
Refractive Index: 1.46-1.54
Are Tektites magnetic?
Tektites are not magnetic. They are natural glass and do not contain magnetic minerals. They do not have a metallic appearance.
What does Tektite mean in divination?
Drawing a Tektite in a gemstone divination session means: It is time for a change.
Use your Tektite or Impactite to reflect on your current circumstances. Focus on what you would like to improve in your life. Take a serious look at the habits that are keeping you from progressing your goals. Meditate, manifest, or lie in Tektite and Impactite layouts to elevate your energy and find the motivation you need for transformation.
What chakra are Tektites and Impactites associated with?
Tektites and Impactites are associated with the Crown and Root chakras, bridging your spiritual center with your physical energy.
Individual specimens may also be associated with other chakras, depending on their color. For example, green Moldavite is often connected with your Heart chakra, and yellow Libyan Desert glass is associated with your Solar Plexus chakra.
To learn more about chakra balancing, visit the Chakra Guide.
Where can I find real Tektites?
You'd love to be an owner of exclusive Tektite treasures. Thankfully, Tektite is available through select reputable sellers like Satin Crystals. Let trusted sources like Satin Crystals properly equip you with one of the world's greatest finds.
Because our customers love variety, we offer genuine Tektites in collectible specimen pieces, cosmic pairs, designer necklaces, precious rings, and more. If you want 100% peace of mind and 100% authenticity, visit the Satin Crystals Tektite Collection or pick your pieces right here:
Does my Tektite or Impactite come with a Certificate of Authenticity?
You've seen it all over the internet- sellers promising you a Certificate of Authenticity (COAs) with your purchase. We hate to break it to you, but their COAs are worth nothing more than the cheap paper it was printed on.
Look closely, it's just a piece of paper that they printed from their home office (often with spelling and grammar mistakes) that they created to make you feel better. COAs have nothing to do with the authenticity of the stone, it's a marketing gimmick.
Here at Satin Crystals, we are straightforward. No, we don't give you a Certificate of Authenticity because it has no value.
The only true way to know if a rock is a real tektite or meteorite is to have it tested in a reputable laboratory.
We guarantee you that 99.9% of the companies offering you a COA did not have the Tektite or Impactite lab verified by a real scientist. That's why it's meaningless.
Your Impactite Journeys
Continue on your Impactite journeys with the following guides:
Tektite Shopping Guides
Tektite Reference Guides
Grow with Satin Crystals
Contact Satin Crystals
Have you had experience with Impactites and Tektite? What do you use your Tektite for? What are your opinions about Impactites and its powers?
We'd love to hear your stories about these galactic rocks. Feel free to write to us below and we will get back to you.
Disclaimer: The metaphysical information provided is for entertainment only. See full disclosure.
