Mineral Guide · Material
Lechatelierite is a natural amorphous silica mineraloid formed by intense heat in fulgurites, impact glasses and some volcanic settings.
Lechatelierite is a natural amorphous silica mineraloid formed by intense heat in fulgurites, impact glasses and some volcanic settings.
Reference formula: SiO2. Lechatelierite is amorphous SiO2 and therefore does not have a periodic crystal lattice or a conventional crystal system. It should not be assigned a quartz structure merely because its chemistry is silica; its glassy origin is the defining feature. Lechatelierite is classified with a mineral-like material rather than one mineral class and has a not applicable because the material has no single crystal lattice crystal system. Typical hardness is 5.5–6.5 on the Mohs scale and specific gravity is approximately 2.1–2.3.
Typical colours include colourless, white, grey, brown, black. The usual glassy, fibrous, massive habit and vitreous, dull lustre help describe a specimen, but colour alone is not diagnostic.
Lechatelierite forms in or is associated with lightning strikes in sand, meteorite impacts and high-temperature silica-rich volcanic processes. Important documented localities include documented worldwide in sandy deserts, impact structures and volcanic regions.
Lechatelierite is a powerful natural-history specimen: a lightning strike or impact can melt quartz-rich sand and freeze it into a glassy record of extreme energy. Its value comes from provenance and texture, not from pretending it is a crystal.
Glass-like material can be sharp; handle edges carefully, avoid scratching and retain the geological context that distinguishes it from manufactured glass.
Reviewed by NotOnlyRocks Editorial Team
Last reviewed: 28 August 2026
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