Libyan

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Libyan Desert Glass (LDG)

Libyan Desert Glass (LDG), also known as Great Sand Sea Glass, is a type of impactite found in areas in the eastern Sahara, in the deserts of eastern Libya and western Egypt. Fragments of LDG are scattered over a large area measuring approximately 130 km north-south by 53 km east-west.

Pronunciation: /ˈlɪbiən ˈdɛzərt glæs/

Etymology: The term "Libyan Desert Glass" is derived from its discovery location in the Libyan Desert, a part of the Sahara Desert in Libya. The term "glass" refers to its glass-like properties.

Description

Libyan Desert Glass is generally yellow in color. It can be very clear or it can be a milky, even opaque, yellow. Some fragments are dark, others light. The pieces are typically very small, with the largest pieces weighing up to 26 kg. LDG is considered to be the purest natural silica glass in existence, with a silica content of over 98%.

Formation

The origin of Libyan Desert Glass is still under debate. The most widely accepted theory is that it was formed about 29 million years ago during a meteorite impact. The heat and pressure from the impact melted the desert sand, forming a glassy substance on cooling.

Related Terms

  • Impactite: A type of rock created or modified by the impact of a meteorite.
  • Tektite: A type of glassy object that is believed to have been formed in certain meteorite impacts.
  • Silica: A hard, unreactive, colorless compound that occurs as the mineral quartz and as a principal constituent of sandstone and other rocks.

See Also

External links

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