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Glass

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System:AmorphousHardness:5 - 6½
Name:From the Celtic word glas (bluish-green)


An amorphous, homogeneous material with a random liquid-like structure generally formed due to rapid cooling.
Glasses can be natural (such as obsidian) or artificial (e.g., in slags). Artificial glasses are predominantly composed of silica with a few impurities.

Crystals in igneous rocks may contain tiny inclusions of frozen melt, i.e., glass.

In gemmology, man-made glasses have been used as gems since the discovery of glass, and special glass varieties, such as lead glass, containing additives have been used to simulate more valuable gemstones, such as diamond.

Classification of Glass

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Physical Properties of Glass

Lustre:Vitreous
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Transparent, Translucent, Opaque
Hardness (Mohs):5 - 6½
Hardness Data:Measured
Fracture:Conchoidal

Crystallography of Glass

Crystal System:Amorphous

Optical Data of Glass

Type:Isotropic

Other Names for Glass

Synonyms:
Crystal Glass
Other Languages:
Varieties:
AndaraCommon GlassLead GlassMt. St. Helens Stone

Other Information

Health Warning:No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.

Internet Links for Glass

Search Engines:
  • Look for Glass on Google
  • Look for Glass images on Google
  • Mineral Dealers:
  • rare and unusual minerals mainly crystallized
  • Search for minerals at Heliodor
  • Wilensky Fine Minerals
  • Rare and Unusual minerals at Mineralogical Research Company
  • Buy fine minerals and gemstones from Pala International
  • Search for - Glass - on e-Rocks Mineral Sales & Auctions
  • Top quality minerals from Kristalle of California
  • Buy RARE Minerals from Rocks of Africa
  • Fine Minerals from Weinrich Minerals, Inc.
  • Fine and rare minerals from mintreasure.com
  • Fabre Minerals - search for Glass specimens
  • Glass specimens for sale - minfind.com
  • Specimens:The following Glass specimens are currently listed for sale on minfind.com.
    Jobs:
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  • Localities for Glass

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    Copyright © Jolyon Ralph and Ida Chau 1993-2012. Site Map. Locality, mineral & photograph data are the copyright of the individuals who submitted them. Further information contact the Site hosted & developed by Jolyon Ralph. Mindat.org is an online information resource dedicated to providing free mineralogical information to all. Mindat relies on the contributions of hundreds of members and supporters. Mindat does not offer minerals for sale. If you would like to add information to improve the quality of our database, then click here to register.
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