lechatelierite

lechatelierite
/leuh shaht'l ear"uyt/, n.
a mineral, an amorphous form of silica formed by the fusion by heat of silica and found in fulgurites.
[1915-20; < F, after H.-L. Le Châtelier (1850-1936), French chemist; see -ITE1]

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      a natural silica glass (silicon dioxide, SiO2) that has the same chemical composition as coesite, cristobalite, stishovite, quartz, and tridymite but has a different crystal structure. Two varieties are included: meteoritic silica glass, produced when terrestrial silica is fused in the intense heat and pressure created by the impact of large meteorites; and fulgurite (q.v.), glass produced when silica is fused in the heat generated by a lightning strike. Tektites (tektite), tear-shaped meteoritic glass, the silica content of which is usually between 68 and 82 percent, often contain strings or grains of lechatelierite. Meteoritic silica glass has been found in and near large meteorite craters, as at Winslow, Ariz., in the United States, and not associated with particular craters but still with meteoritic impact, as in the Libyan Desert.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • Lechatelierite — is silica glass, amorphous SiO2. One common way in which lechatelierite forms naturally is by very high temperature melting of quartz sand during a lightning strike. The result is an irregular, branching, often foamy hollow tube of silica glass… …   Wikipedia

  • lechatelierite — n. A naturally occurring colorless glass made of almost pure silica, and found in fulgurites, which are produced by lightning striking sand. Syn: quartz glass, vitreous silica, crystal. [WordNet 1.5 +PJC] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • lechatelierite — le·cha·te·lier·ite …   English syllables

  • lechatelierite — noun colorless glass made of almost pure silica • Syn: ↑quartz glass, ↑quartz, ↑vitreous silica, ↑crystal • Derivationally related forms: ↑crystallize (for: ↑crystal), ↑ …   Useful english dictionary

  • quartz glass — lechatelierite. [1900 05] * * * …   Universalium

  • SILICE — Le dioxyde de silicium ou silice occupe, parmi les oxydes, une place exceptionnelle; en effet, par ses propriétés cristallochimiques, par ses modes de genèse, par son importance pétrographique, il s’apparente étroitement aux silicates. Dans la… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • silica mineral — Any of the forms of silicon dioxide (SiO2), including quartz, tridymite, cristobalite, coesite, stishovite, melanophlogite, lechatelierite, and chalcedony. Various kinds of silica minerals have been produced synthetically. * * * Introduction… …   Universalium

  • Lechatelierita — Trinitita, variedad de lechatelierita producida por una explosión atómica …   Wikipedia Español

  • Лешательерит — Фульгурит, состоящий из лешательерита Формула SiO2 аморфный кремнезём …   Википедия

  • Quartz — This article is about the mineral. For other uses, see Quartz (disambiguation). Quartz Quartz crystal cluster from Tibet General Category …   Wikipedia

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