Glass
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About Glass
Lustre:
Vitreous
Hardness:
5 - 6½
Name:
From the Celtic word "glas" ("bluish-green")
A non-crystalline, amorphous, relatively homogeneous solid material with a random liquid-like structure generally formed due to rapid cooling of a liquid.
Glasses can be natural rocktypes (glassy rock, including obsidian, lechatelierite, pseudotachylite or tektite) or artificial materials (e.g., crystal glass and slags). Most natural and artificial glasses are predominantly composed of silica with variable amounts of impurities, especially alkalis.
Crystals in rapidly cooled volcanic rocks may contain melt inclusions: tiny inclusions of frozen magma, i.e., glass, which can be studied to help determine the origin of the rock.
In gemmology, man-made glasses have been used as gems since the invention of glass manufacture, and special glass varieties, such as lead glass or crystal glass, containing lead and other additives, have been used to simulate more valuable gemstones, such as diamond.
Visit gemdat.org for gemological information about Glass.
Glasses can be natural rocktypes (glassy rock, including obsidian, lechatelierite, pseudotachylite or tektite) or artificial materials (e.g., crystal glass and slags). Most natural and artificial glasses are predominantly composed of silica with variable amounts of impurities, especially alkalis.
Crystals in rapidly cooled volcanic rocks may contain melt inclusions: tiny inclusions of frozen magma, i.e., glass, which can be studied to help determine the origin of the rock.
In gemmology, man-made glasses have been used as gems since the invention of glass manufacture, and special glass varieties, such as lead glass or crystal glass, containing lead and other additives, have been used to simulate more valuable gemstones, such as diamond.
Visit gemdat.org for gemological information about Glass.Unique Identifiers
Mindat ID:
26411
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:26411:8
Similar Names
| Clays | A synonym of Clay minerals |
| Glace | A synonym of Ice |
| Glass (man-made) | An artificial material |
Physical Properties of Glass
Vitreous
Transparency:
Transparent, Translucent, Opaque
Hardness:
5 - 6½ on Mohs scale
Hardness Data:
Measured
Fracture:
Conchoidal
Other Language Names for Glass
Common Associates
Associations Based on Photo Data:
| 40 photos of Glass associated with Quartz | SiO2 |
| 35 photos of Glass associated with Pyrite | FeS2 |
| 31 photos of Glass associated with Goethite | Fe3+O(OH) |
| 25 photos of Glass associated with Cohenite | Fe3C |
| 19 photos of Glass associated with 'Pyrometamorphic rock' | |
| 18 photos of Glass associated with Fluorapatite | Ca5(PO4)3F |
| 18 photos of Glass associated with Troilite | FeS |
| 17 photos of Glass associated with Plagioclase | (Na,Ca)[(Si,Al)AlSi2]O8 |
| 16 photos of Glass associated with Magnetite | Fe2+Fe3+2O4 |
| 9 photos of Glass associated with Hematite | Fe2O3 |
Other Information
Health Risks:
No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.
Glass in petrology
An essential component of rock names highlighted in red, an accessory component in rock names highlighted in green.
Internet Links for Glass
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-26411.html
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References for Glass
Localities for Glass
Showing 726 localities.
Locality List
- This locality has map coordinates listed.
- This locality has estimated coordinates.
ⓘ - Click for references and further information on this occurrence.
? - Indicates mineral may be doubtful at this locality.
- Good crystals or important locality for species.
- World class for species or very significant.
(TL) - Type Locality for a valid mineral species.
(FRL) - First Recorded Locality for everything else (eg varieties).
All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.





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The
Mount Shadwell Quarry, Mortlake, Moyne Shire, Victoria, Australia