• Location: Luzon, Philippines
• Weight: 36.4g
• Dimensions: 6.3 x 2.1 x 1.9 cm
• DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Philippinite – tektite from the Philippines Philippinite is a rare tektite originating from the Philippines, formed by a meteorite impact approximately 790,000 years ago. During the impact, surface rock melted and was ejected into the upper atmosphere, where it solidified and fell back to Earth as natural glass. Philippinites are part of the Australasian tektite strewn field. Location Philippinites are found on several islands of the Philippine archipelago — mainly in Luzon (Rizal and Quezon provinces), as well as on the islands of Samar, Leyte, Mindoro, and Mindanao. These regions are known as the main sources of philippinites and are among the richest tektite localities in the world. Appearance and properties Philippinites are black to dark brown in color and have a non-transparent, pitted surface, formed by aerodynamic melting during passage through the atmosphere. They are known for their varied shapes — from teardrop and oval to disc-shaped or irregular. The surface is usually opaque, with a typical texture of small craters. Their chemical composition is mainly silicon dioxide (SiO₂) with additions of alumina, iron, and trace elements.