• Location: Belize
• Weight (with box): 10.7g
• Packaging: clear plastic box (5.8 x 3.8 x 1.6 cm)
• DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Central American Tektites – Belizeites Central American tektites, called belizeites (also belizites), represent a specific group of glassy rocks formed by the impact of an extraterrestrial body. These tektites found in the territory of Belize mostly appear as small, slightly anisometric fragments, whose original shape is practically impossible to estimate today. Only rarely can some pieces be interpreted as having originally been drop or dumbbell shaped, but completely preserved forms are almost absent among the finds. Sharp or slightly rounded edges of fracture surfaces are typical, indicating that the transport of these bodies after impact was very short. Origin and structure of belizeites Belizeites are the result of common impact processes, where molten material was ejected into the atmosphere, shaped by rotating, and then fell back to Earth. Due to stresses and post-impact processes, most bodies fractured. Although a piece with a more pronounced shlieren structure was described, similar to the so-called Muong Nong type known from the Asia-Australia field, it was not a classical example of this type because the characteristic layering was absent. Surface and appearance of Belize tektites The surface of belizeites is usually finely pitted, and other types of surface texture are not present. Sometimes the surface is glossy, but more often slightly weathered, probably due to alteration or a short subfossil transport history. In appearance, Belize tektites most resemble African ivorites. Source crater of belizeites The source crater of Central American belizeite tektites is probably the Pantasma circular structure in the Pantasma Valley in northern Nicaragua. This impact depression has a diameter of 14.5 km and is located approximately 540 km southeast of the tektite sites in Belize. Research has confirmed the presence of typical impact markers such as glass with lechatelierite content, decomposed zircon, and chromium isotopes from ordinary chondrite. Additionally, a match in the formation age of the glass from the Pantasma crater and the belizeites themselves has been confirmed, supporting the theory that this was the site of an extraterrestrial impact that ejected material into the atmosphere and then onto the Earth's surface. Geological research and field findings Direct field searches for belizeites, for example in gravel pits east of Spanish Lookout, have often been unsuccessful. An experienced geologist who knows the area well confirmed that no tektites were found in gravel pits at that location. While it is not impossible for a piece to be found outside known sites in the future, negative results from these locations indicate a limited transport range of these tektites — their relative fragility and small size probably did not allow for their preservation over longer distances.