Atacamaite in box – Atacama desert, Chile

Atacamaites are rare tektites found in the Atacama Desert in Chile, which is known to be one of the driest places on Earth. These tektites are glassy natural objects that were formed by large meteorite impacts. Theories about their formation say that the enormous energy released in the collision melted rocks on the Earth's surface and shot them high into the atmosphere, where they solidified and fell back to Earth.

An impact crater that could be related to their origin has not yet been conclusively identified, which is common with some tektites that form far from the crater itself. Atacamaites are usually dark glassy in appearance, varying from black to dark green hues, and their surface is often smooth to slightly sculpted.

Unlike more common tektites, such as the Bohemian volcanics or australites, atacamaites are rare and less well known, making them sought-after objects for mineral collectors.