[meteorite-list] Tektite color transmission

From: Matson, Robert <ROBERT.D.MATSON_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 10:08:31 2004
Message-ID: <AF564D2B9D91D411B9FE00508BF1C86901B4E3E2_at_US-Torrance.mail.saic.com>

Hi Bob, Art and List,

Regarding differentiation of tektites and obsidian, Bob wrote:

"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!"

Exactly! Every apache tear and piece of obsidian I've
found that had a portion thin enough to transmit light,
did so with a gray/purplish tint -- never brown. I
believe Bob was the one who described the color to me
even more succinctly: "root beer". --Rob
Received on Wed 25 Sep 2002 03:29:24 PM PDT