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GENERAL
INFORMATION ABOUT THE LOCALITY: |
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This dig
site continues to produce amazing specimens! The accompanying photos
show fulgurite specimens “in place”, i.e., in the process of being
excavated, as well as recently recovered examples. |
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OUTSIDE
SURFACE: |
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Form: |
Usually
fairly straight down the length of the tube, sometimes slightly curved.
The diameter is usually fairly equidimensional. Secondary branches are
uncommon. |
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Color: |
Light,
to medium charcoal gray. |
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Texture: |
Generally smooth, without ridges or large rocks attached. Small
fragments of unfused white Quartz are sometimes attached to the outside
surfaces of the fulgurite tubes. |
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Sand
Granules: |
Coarse-grained, white Quartz sand is mixed with light, to medium
charcoal gray, to sometimes brown-black, fine-grained volcanic detritus. |
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GLASSY
INTERIOR: |
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Color: |
The
color of the glassy interior of the fulgurites varies from near
colorless, to white, to light gray. Occasionally, on the larger
specimens, portions of the glass are pale greenish-white. On some
specimens, where the gray-black, fine-grained volcanic material is
incorporated into the glass, portions of the glassy interior of the
fulgurites are shiny brown to brown-black. |
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Texture: |
Very
smooth, glassy, shiny, highly included with gas bubbles. |
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Bubbles (Gas
Pockets) Present: |
The
fulgurites from this Arizona locality appear to have been formed at very
high temperatures. The gas bubbles within the glass are numerous, on
the larger examples, surrounded by large areas of very glassy fused
silica. Numerous tiny white unfused Quartz sand particles are sometimes
incorporated into larger areas of the very glassy fused silica. |
