Fulgurites are formed when lighting discharges in sand. The extreme heat of the lightning vaporizes some sand while forming a kind of glass, often in an irregular tube shape. The outer layer has the appearance of a kind of rough ceramic. The inner layer of glass, known as lechatelierite, found in hollow fulgurites is generally clear or black and is often smooth, though bubbles sometimes form.

Though often in the form of tubes, fulgurites can also be blades, kind of like a crumpled up blade of grass, solid rods, or any number of other more irregular shapes.

Arizona fulgurites are often solid rather than hollow. Some root shaped fulgurites are so rootlike that they could easily be mistaken for petrified roots.

Most fulgurites are fairly small, and although all the fulgurites shown on these pages were purchased through EBAY most of the fulgurites found there are like the Saharan Desert Fulgurites shown here, and are often sold in bulk in lots weighing about 20 grams or one ounce.

If you're thinking of buying some fulgurites, I suggest shopping around because some of the sellers, especially the ones not on Ebay, have a rather inflated idea of what fulgurites are worth!

The outer layers of fulgurites may are often light brown but can also be yellow, dark brown, black, green or even off white, depending on the composition of the sand and surronding material in which they formed.

Hobbyists collect fulgurites for their novelty and scientific value, but many see fulgurites as having mystical powers as well!