A. |
B. |
Red inclusions – The red inclusions are due to the presence
of Copper (Cu). Copper is not native to the mineralogy of the blast area,
and is presumed by researchers to have been present as part of the Copper
wiring used in the instrumentation on the project.
Black inclusions – The black
inclusions found in some Trinitite specimens are due to the presence of
Iron (Fe). Iron is not native to the mineralogy of the blast area, and is
presumed by researchers to have been the result of incorporating Iron from
the tower or tower cabin, present at the Trinity Site, when these
structures were destroyed by the blast.
Light colored flow marks – The
light colored flow marks seen on some specimens are typical of material
found 100 to 700 feet from Ground Zero, and were part of the lighter
colored rays seen in aerial photographs taken shortly after the explosion.
Blue inclusions – Small, glassy,
robin’s egg blue color inclusions or streaks within the Trinitite are
extremely rare. No explanation for this color anomaly has been found in
the literature.
White inclusions – White inclusions
consist of small masses of partially to totally fused white Feldspar – one
of the constituents of the desert sand at the Trinity Site.
“Coke bottle” color inclusions – A
detailed microscopic study revealed that Trinitite contains two distinct
types of glass, one formed from the feldspar and clay in the sand, and one
formed from Quartz in the sand that fused directly into silica glass.
These small, transparent, blue-green color inclusions (indicated as CB
below), within the Trinitite, are presumed to be the latter.
|
|
TYPE 4. |
WEIGHT
(GRAMS) |
SPECIMEN SIZE
(INCHES) |
SPECIAL
FEATURES |
SPECIMEN
PRICE |
|
|
A. |
2.61 |
1 1/4 |
3/4 |
1/4 |
Delicate, lace-like form with 2 small white fused Albite inclusions & 2 micro red (Cu) rich inclusions. |
SOLD |
|
|
B. |
2.68 |
1 1/8 |
3/4 |
3/8 |
Delicate, lace-like botryoidal
formation with several small black (Fe) incls. |
SOLD |
|
|
C. |
3.09 |
7/8 |
7/8 |
3/8 |
A single, very small pale blue (Cu)
curved inclusion on the left side of the specimen is accompanied by
small white fused Albite incls., one small CB incls. Several small
red (Cu) incls., & black (Fe) incls. are also present. |
SOLD
|
|
|
D. |
3.35 |
1 1/4 |
1/2 |
1/2 |
Small, bright red (Cu) incls. are
scattered over the back & edges of the specimen + minor white Albite. |
SOLD |
|
|
E. |
4.05 |
1 1/8 |
7/8 |
1/4 |
A small, glassy, light blue incls. is
at the top edge of the specimen. A large white Albite incls. is also
present. |
SOLD |
|
|
F. |
4.14 |
1 5/8 |
3/4 |
3/8 |
“Jaws” This
specimen has a lace-like shape, with nicely defined botryoidal surface
features, with minor fused white Albite and black (Fe) incls. |
37.25 |
|
|
G. |
4.90 |
1 1/2 |
3/4 |
3/8 |
A pronounced incls. of fused white
Albite is on the front of the specimen, with a pale blue-green CB
inclusion. Numerous micro black (Fe) incls. are scattered over the
back of the specimen. |
$ 44.00 |
|
|
H. |
5.50 |
1 1/8 |
1 |
1/4 |
Several small white fused Albite incls.
are on the top of the specimen. Three very glassy green gas pockets
are on the perimeter. Lots of charcoal gray-black (Fe) incls. are on
the base/back. |
SOLD |
|
|
I. |
5.93 |
1 3/8 |
7/8 |
1/4 |
Unusually light colored specimen with
lots of glassy, light green CB incls. Numerous micro black (Fe) incls.
are on the back of the specimen. |
SOLD |
|
|
J. |
8.57 |
1 1/2 |
1 1/8 |
1/4 |
Very light colored surface, with 2
small black (Fe) incls, Pale pink-red (Cu) incls. are on the back /
base. |
SOLD |
|
|
K. |
9.26 |
1 3/8 |
1 1/8 |
3/8 |
A pronounced black (Fe) zone is on
top of the specimen, with a grain of white Albite in the center. A
very large gas pocket is on one edge of the specimen. |
SOLD |
|
|
L. |
5.52 |
1 3/8 |
3/4 |
1/2 |
Extra large gas pocket, plus glassy
white fused Albite inclusions. |
SOLD |
|
|
M. |
10.29 |
1 1/2 |
1 1/8 |
1/2 |
A large white to pale blue (Cu) fused
glassy inclusion is on the top of the specimen, + lot of partially
fused white Albite & numerous black (Fe) incls. |
SOLD |
|
|
N. |
11.07 |
1 3/4 |
7/8 |
3/8 |
Large specimen with several large gas
pockets around the perimeter. |
$ 99.50 |
|
|
O. |
7.81 |
1 |
7/8 |
1/2 |
4 small brick red (Cu) incls. are
present, scattered among numerous small gas pockets on the front of
the specimen. Two larger gas pockets are on the smooth top surface. |
SOLD |
|
|
P. |
12.43 |
1 7/8 |
1 1/4 |
3/8 |
Large specimen with several small gas
pockets around the perimeter. |
$ 112.00 |
|
|
Q. |
12.97 |
1 3/4 |
1 1/4 |
1/2 |
Large convoluted specimen with many
small gas pickets around the perimeter. |
$ 116.75 |
|
|
R. |
13.08 |
1 7/8 |
1 1/2 |
1/4 |
Large specimen with glassy white fused
Feldspar inclusions + small gas pockets around the perimeter + several
small “CB” sea green color inclusions. |
$ 117.75 |
|
|
S. |
7.46 |
1 5/8 |
1 1/8 |
3/8 |
Elongated, finger-like form with 2
white Albite incls. & many tiny gas pockets at the base of the
specimen. |
$ 67.25 |
|
|
T. |
8.70 |
1 1/2 |
1 1/8 |
5/8+ |
A small, light blue incls. is near one
edge of the specimen, with many open gas pockets around the
perimeter. Note the rare, 1” long stalactitic form! |
$ 78.25 |
|
|
U. |
14.85 |
1 1/2 |
1 1/2 |
3/8+ |
Very large specimen with 2 small gas
pockets on the surface. Several micro fused white Albite grains are
present. |
$ 133.75 |
|
|
V. |
13.50 |
1 3/4 |
1 1/8 |
3/8 |
A pale crème colored “saber-tooth”
shaped streak is on the surface. Numerous black (Fe) incls. are on the
top & base of the specimen, + many small gas pockets are around the
edges. |
$ 121.50 |
Acknowledgements: Data presented relative to the
special features of the above specimens was gained by interviews and
correspondence with researchers who have done detailed, intense studies on
Trinitite. For further reading, see the following papers:
- “Trinitite: The Atomic Age
Mineral”, W. Kolb and P. Carlock, 2002.
- “Radioactivity in Trinitite Six
Decades Later”, P. Parekh, T. Semkow, et al, 2005.
|
