Description: If making more than one purchase, see the note following the red text below! Fulgurites - set of natural glass tubes formed by lightning strikes on sand Fulgurites form when a lightning bolt strikes the earth’s surface, fusing the material into a glass tube, sometimes with a hollow center. When lightning strikes sandy soil, the air and moisture in the sand are rapidly heated. Quartz sand melts at a temperature of roughly 1600˚C to 2000˚C depending on the moisture content. The name comes from the Latin fulgur, for lightning.These were collected from a Sahara dune field in Morocco. Though the seller did not want to disclose the location, he did relate that these are found when an occasional strong regional wind moves the dune surface to expose the fulgurites. The collector then goes out with his ATV, drives around on the dunes and sifts the sand where these appear. In some years none are found at all.These are Type 1 fulgurites, sand fulgurites, as classified by Matthew A. Pasek et al in Fulgurite morphology: a classification scheme and clues to formation, Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology 164 (3): 477 - 492 [2012]. Type 1 fulgurites form in sand as tubular structures, sometimes with the central opening collapsed, and frequently coated with sand.There is little lightning activity in the Sahara today, so the fulgurites found in the Sahara confirm that very different conditions existed in prehistoric times. Since fulgurites are glass, they are resistant to weathering and are usually well preserved for long periods of time.Because fulgurites are amorphous, they are classified as a mineraloid. Making multiple purchases? Just add items to your cart. When finished shopping, click on "view cart" and then click on “request combined shipping” at upper right in the Shopping Cart window. Do not proceed to checkout. We will send an eBay invoice with the correct combined shipping. Select a specimen: When more than one specimen is shown, you can select a particular specimen by telling us what is in the photo with it - a black mechanical pencil, a silver and black pen, or one of those plus some number of coins, or you can let us make the selection. Shipping: Priority Mail or Ground Advantage, whichever is cheaper, unless we can find a better rate. Rates vary by weight and zip code. We can usually ship for less than eBay will charge, and will refund the overpayment as soon as the box is packed. International customers: We sell and ship internationally. If eBay’s page does not let you enter your country name to determine the shipping cost for something you are interested in, please contact us. We can tell you what the shipping would cost and how to make the purchase. You can then decide if you wish to complete the transaction. Use the Contact Seller link in the Seller Information box on the right side of this page. Pay securely with your debit or credit card through PayPal! You do not need a Pay Pal account to do this. Yes, we do combine shipping!
Price: 13.75 USD
Location: Olancha, California
End Time: 2025-02-07T09:50:56.000Z
Shipping Cost: N/A USD
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Return shipping will be paid by: Seller
All returns accepted: Returns Accepted
Item must be returned within: 30 Days
Refund will be given as: Money Back
