Philippinite Tektite

1 product

Discover Philippinite Tektites, natural impact glass formed during one of the largest known tektite-producing events on Earth.

Philippinites are tektites recovered from the Philippines and form part of the vast Australasian tektite strewn field. Like other tektites, they are natural terrestrial glass produced when a major extraterrestrial impact subjected surface rocks to extreme temperatures and pressures, ejecting molten material into the atmosphere.

The molten material cooled rapidly during flight before falling back to Earth as glassy objects. Over time, weathering and chemical etching modified many Philippinite surfaces, producing the characteristic pits, grooves and sculptural textures seen on individual specimens.

Philippinites occur in a variety of forms, including rounded, oval, irregular, splash-form and fragmented specimens. Their dark colour and naturally textured surfaces make them visually distinctive examples of terrestrial material transformed by an extraterrestrial impact.

Each GeoFossils Philippinite has its own individual shape, surface texture and geological character.

What is a Philippinite?

A Philippinite is a tektite found in the Philippines.

Tektites are naturally occurring silica-rich glasses formed from terrestrial material during a major meteorite impact. They are not meteorites themselves; instead, they represent terrestrial material that was melted, ejected and rapidly cooled as a consequence of an impact.

Philippinites belong to the Australasian tektite strewn field, which extends across a vast area of Southeast Asia and Australia.

How Did Philippinites Form?

The Australasian tektite-forming event occurred approximately 790,000 years ago.

During the impact, enormous energy melted and vaporised near-surface terrestrial material. Some molten material was propelled away from the impact site and travelled through the atmosphere before cooling and solidifying into natural glass.

This process produced the different regional varieties of Australasian tektites found today, including material known as Philippinite in the Philippines and Australite in Australia.

The exact source crater responsible for the Australasian tektite field has been the subject of extensive scientific investigation. While several locations have been proposed, its identification remains debated, so GeoFossils does not attribute Philippinites to a specific crater.

Scientific Information

Property	Information
Material	Philippinite
Material Type	Tektite
Origin	Terrestrial impact glass
Tektite Group	Australasian Tektites
Strewn Field	Australasian Tektite Strewn Field
Location	Philippines
Formation Age	Approximately 790,000 years
Formation Process	Impact melting, ejection and rapid cooling
Composition	Predominantly silica-rich natural glass
Typical Colour	Dark brown to black
Transparency	Typically opaque to translucent at thin edges
Associated Event	Australasian tektite-forming impact
Source Crater	Not conclusively established

Why Collect Philippinite Tektites?

Feature	Significance
Natural tektite	Genuine terrestrial glass produced during an impact event
Australasian strewn field	Part of the world's largest known tektite distribution
Philippine locality	Regional variety of Australasian tektite
Approx. 790,000 years old	Preserves material formed during an ancient impact event
Naturally sculpted surfaces	Weathering can produce distinctive pits, grooves and textures
Individual forms	Each specimen varies naturally in shape and surface character
Geological interest	Demonstrates the effects of high-energy extraterrestrial impacts on terrestrial material

Philippinite or Meteorite – What is the Difference?

A meteorite is material originating from an extraterrestrial body that survives passage through Earth's atmosphere and reaches the surface.

A Philippinite is not a meteorite.

It is a tektite: terrestrial material melted during a meteorite impact, ejected from the impact region and cooled into natural glass before returning to Earth's surface.

This distinction is why GeoFossils categorises Philippinites within Tektites and Impact Glass, rather than Meteorite Specimens.

Philippinites and Australites

Philippinites and Australites are related because both belong to the Australasian tektite strewn field and originated during the same major impact event.

Their names primarily reflect the geographical regions in which they are found.

Philippinites are recovered from the Philippines, while Australites are recovered from Australia. Differences in flight history, preservation and terrestrial weathering can result in markedly different shapes and surface characteristics.

Authenticity & Provenance

GeoFossils sources tektites and impact-related specimens through established suppliers and collectors, with locality and provenance forming an important part of specimen identification.

Specimens within this collection are represented as Philippinite Tektites from the Philippines, belonging to the Australasian tektite strewn field.