AboutFraser Hamilton Expertise I have over 15 years of professional experience in the environmental geology field. I am well versed in general geology types of questions and answers. In addition I have a keen understanding of physical stratigraphy (especially in the Valley and Ridge of Central PA) and cycles.
Experience Eight years of education, fifteen years of professional experience. Have worked or studied in ME, PA, TX, KY, IN, TN, OH, WA and Scotland.
Publications Geological Society of America
American Association of Petroleum Geologists
Properties Magazine
Cleveland Bar Association
Cleveland Engineering Society
Education/Credentials BA Geology/Math, University of Maine at Farmington
MA Geology - Physical Stratigraphy, Temple University
Post Grad Studies Geology - Texas A&M University
Awards and Honors Distinguished graduate teaching award, Temple University
Question QUESTION: Hello! I just found a dark green glassy rock, similar to the one Allison found in Tennessee, but I found mine in the garden in Lithuania. I’ve never seen anything like it and would like to know what it is. There are pictures of it at www.flickr.com/photos/henka
ANSWER: Enrika:
I would guess that what you have is some sort of volcanic glass. I do not know the geology of Lithuania at all, so there are other things you should consider:
1) maybe someone brought it to your garden from somewhere else
2) it could be an industrial by/waste product
I suspect that #2) above is likely. It is defintely silica rich (glass) with some impurities (the dark color).
Hope this helps.
Fraser
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QUESTION: Oh! Thank your for such rapid response! I have more questions, however. If the rock is an industrial waste or by product, it’s from what industry? Lithuania is mostly flat country, so if it’s volcanic rock, it must have been brought from very far. Where I live used to be farm lands for many years. I’ve also read that such glassy rock can be formed when power line hits the ground.
Answer It could be a byproduct from steel making or some other process like that requires very high temperatures and involves converting some raw material. The powerline theory is also a good one, but there would be a pretty low probability of that happening as it would require a number of different circumstances to be exactly right.
